The Auralillian Summer
by mc-swirl-girl
Summary: Formerly NOT ANOTHER HARRY AND GINNY MOVIE!--Harry visits the Burrow after fifth year and Ginny stops pushing her feelings away from him. Ron is obsessed with aliens. Please R&R if you want ;)
1. Wakeup Call

**Explanation: **This story takes place at the Burrow, the summer after Harry's fifth year in _The Order of the __Phoenix. In the book, that would mean it is the year 1996, but some terms and allusions used in this fiction (such as the movie _Signs_) may have taken place subsequently._

**Disclaimer: **This is the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either. This story is strictly fiction.

**Chapter 1**

    Ginny Weasley awoke to the raucous sound of glasses shattering down three floors in the kitchen. In a trice, she arose out of bed. She needed something to keep her mind off her last dream. Her dreams have generally been pointless until that summer. It was the summer before her fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she was a mere 15 years old—which may have been quite a considerable deal for her mum_ "Oh, two more years and my little girl will be gone!"_ _—_but Ginny liked to keep humble about the matter. 

    As much as she wanted to take focus off the dream, she just couldn't resist thinking about it. She dreamt about being back at Hogwarts,  reliving the day of the last Quidditch match, the day of the great Ravenclaw defeat by Gryffindor, except it would begin with Ginny moments away from catching the Golden Snitch right under Cho Chang's nose. Cho's face would display a great shock which would be followed by a scoff and a rolling of the eyes. In reality, the Gryffindor crowd would have stood up and cheered, but Ginny's dream seemed to twist in a different direction.

    She was actually having the same reoccurring dream each night that entire week; only each one would take on a different ending. The night before, it ended with the whole crowd booing and changing "Weasley is Our King" to "Weasley is Our Queen" so the song could revolve around Ginny. Harry Potter would run out and shout, _"How could you do that to poor Cho? Don't you know she is smarter, prettier, and way more popular than you are?" and then he would jinx her with a numbing curse where Ginny would fall off her broom onto the ground without any feeling left in her limbs, and she would weep until Filch would come and shuffle her off the grounds . . . _

    She didn't want to dwell on something so painful—that didn't even happen. _It was only a dream, she thought. "More like a nightmare . . ." she said to herself._

    Though, the night before that, her dream resulted in catching the Snitch and then looking around to see if anyone noticed, but the stands would go completely silent as the students would disapparate and then Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson would come out to congratulate and crown her with a tiara made out of Devil's Snare which would latch hold on to Ginny's head, make way down her throat, and choke her, as then Harry runs in and shouts, _"Stupefy!"_ while Ginny struggles and to her surprise, the spell doesn't hit her, but the plant strangling her. Draco and Pansy attempt to make a run for it as Harry points his wand at both of them and then yells, _"Rictusempra!" __ where Draco and Pansy would then fall to the ground laughing their heads off. Ginny is on the ground, pretending to have also been stunned as Harry cries, __"Ginny!" and then runs over to aid her, __"Ennervate!" he shouts, and Ginny "regains consciousness" as he embraces her in his arms._

    Ginny recalled having a cheerful morning that day, but again, she tried to clear her mind. _If only I knew more about Occlumency, she thought as she brushed her hair, "Maybe Harry could tell me about it," but then she decided to also throw that at the back of her head which brought her back to thinking about her dreams again. _Is it common to have the same dream every night? _"Harry would know!" she said as she heard a banging on the door._

     "Ginny! Who are you talking to?" shouted Ron.

     "No one!" Ginny shouted back.

     "Are you talking to yourself again? I don't know how much you've fantasized about it, but you aren't in one of those Muggle mooovies Dad has been taking us to! " he yelled.

     "Leave me alone, Ron!"

     "Sorry, but I can't. Mum is downstairs and she's in one of her moods. She doesn't want you leaving those half-full glasses of water around the house."

     "Well, I'm more familiar with the term 'half-empty', and could you please tell her that I'll be down in a minute? I just woke-up!"

     "OK! But you don't have to act all up on me. I just received a verbal beating from Mum! I never _meant_ for the Bludger to end up under her pillow." 

    Ginny could hear Ron's footsteps fading away. She was too overcome by her thoughts that she lay down on her bed again and gave up. She was to reflect on her feelings. She tried to deny it but everything came down to Harry. "But I have a boyfriend," she spoke to herself again. _That I've only spoken to about two or three times,_ she thought. She turned onto her left side and picked up a letter from Dean she received two weeks after she returned home from Hogwarts. He mainly talked about Quidditch and some Muggle sport called Soccer. It may have been a least bit of interest to her, but at that moment, it fully lost its appeal. 

     "I thought I was over Harry." she spoke aloud again, "but he never really thought much of me—especially since that Cho Chang got involved,"—_except she's out of the picture now, "but I shouldn't keep my hopes up, anyway! I should just let it go! He will never feel the same way!"— _yeah___, that'll be easy when he's coming to visit for the rest of the summer, Ginny sat up straight,__ "That's in two days!"_

     "VIRGINIA WEASLEY! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" yelled the voice of Mrs. Weasley from the kitchen. 


	2. Breakfast

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 2**

    Ginny walked hastily down to the kitchen where she found Mrs. Weasley standing with her arms crossed. "Hi, Mum." She greeted, half-looking at her. The rest of her family was sitting down at the breakfast table. Ron was eating his bacon and eggs while Fred and George were looking at the new issue of _Mad Hatter's Weekly while Mr. Weasley was skimming through the __Daily Prophet._

     "My, you're up quite late," Mrs. Weasley stated dryly. Fred glanced up.

     "Watch out, Ginny. She's in one of her moods." he whispered—loud enough for Mrs. Weasley to hear him intently while she gave him a cold stare.

     "I got up early! I just, um, I couldn't find my favorite socks. The ones you gave me for Christmas, Mum!" she lied.

    George looked up and said, "But I thought you said they felt like fire slugs have inhabited your feet," just as Fred was taking a sip of coffee and then spit it out as he burst out laughing.

    Ginny granted them a look that read, _you two just don't know when to stop, do you?_

    Mrs. Weasley didn't change the livid look on her face which was noticed by the twins.

     "I think it's about time we get going to work!" said George.

     "Yes, it's a Friday after all. Lots of costumers today!" Fred agreed. They both disapparated out of the room to their joke shop Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

    Ron had finished enjoying his breakfast. "Mum, aren't you going to tell Ginny to clean up her glasses of water? She's treating the place like she's that little girl in the mooovie Dad took us to last Thursday." he said. 

     "No, I'm not, Ron! Shut it!" she shouted, but also reminisced about the alien movie _Signs. _

     "Oh, that one was a very engaging!" Mr. Weasley was still very keen in his interest with Muggles. Of course, working in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department, he felt a need (or desire) to "inspect" movie cinemas with his family even if Mrs. Weasley had long debated about the senseless scheme—_"Your children and I have no place being there!"_—_"But Molly, it's a brilliant plan! And how many wizarding families ever get to experience it?"—Of course, Mr. Weasley took the initiative into convincing Mrs. Weasley to embrace the idea._

     "Do aliens really exist, Dad? Perhaps they could get rid of the gnomes--" Ron asked.

     "Ask me when I work for the Department of Mysteries," he replied sarcastically, "Well I better make a move on! Good-bye, dear!" he moved closer to give Mrs. Weasley a peck on the cheek, but she still didn't seem too inviting with her stoic expression, "Very well then! Cheerio!" he vanished.

     "Anyway, Ginny, I want you to clean everything up after you've had your breakfast." Mrs. Weasley said sternly.

    Ginny looked around and saw that she did leave a hefty amount of water glasses lying around the kitchen and she could see beyond through the hall, that there were a few more. _What has gotten into me? _she wondered. Perhaps it was the fact that ever since she got back home to the Burrow, there wasn't much to do except mope around and deal with the basics of life. Once in awhile, she and Ron would have Quidditch practice, but he suddenly established a curiosity for aliens and outer-space. She could recall a few times where Ron would whine about how he should have paid more attention in Astronomy. So Ron wasn't always available to chat with, especially when he was trying to make his own aluminum foil hats. Fred and George weren't around to entertain either, ever since they started their joke shop on Diagon Alley. 

     "I'll just clean it up _now_," said Ginny. She picked up her wand, "Wingard--" she was about to cast until she noticed the stunned looks on Ron's and Mrs. Weasley's faces.

     "Underage magic!" Ron yelled and pointed.

     "Ginny, you know that's illegal!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Or do you still think you're at Hogwarts? The house elves aren't coming to pick everything up after you either!"

     "I'm sorry! I just don't know what has gotten into me!" she ran upstairs to her room in tears. She was usually so strong too. A slight smile crept up on her face when she reminded herself of Cho Chang—who was notorious for crying over spilled potion. But Ginny was still uncomfortable with her modified ways. She looked into her vanity mirror and didn't see the usual strong and alert girl she was used too, but fathomed someone feeble and dense. Her outward appearance wasn't much of a change except for a tiny pimple appearing on the tip of her nose, but that was the least of her concern. Was she depressed or merely perplexed? 


	3. Fred and George, those scamps!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 3 **

    Ginny came downstairs an hour later. The kitchen was cleared of water glasses, and there was still some toast on the table. Ron and Mrs. Weasley were absent from the room, but Ginny sat down anyway and had her light breakfast while reading through the front-page headlines in the Daily Prophet. One read, "APPLEBY ARROWS ROBBERY!" which indicated in the article about how someone stole half of their Flamewasp racing broom supply. There was a picture of Shannon Scarlet on a Flamewasp beating a Bludger over to Joey Jenkins of the Chudley Cannons. 

     "The Flamewasp is major rubbish anyway," said a familiar voice. Ginny looked up and the twins were standing there. "They're not very sturdy, I heard," George continued, "Plus I heard someone put a shrinking spell on the lot at the factory."

     "Aren't you both supposed to be at work?" Ginny demanded.

     "That's where Lee Jordan comes in!" Fred retorted. Ginny gave them a puzzled look.

     "He needed a summer job," George informed.

     "Yeah, plus, we're both a little worried about you, Gin," said Fred.

     "Why is that?" Ginny asked.

     "Well, ever term ended, you seemed to be a bit down. I can tell maybe it's because we're not around and Ron ran off with the telescope doing Merlin knows what in his room." George replied.

     "Well, I got around okay when everyone had gone to Hogwarts before my first year, and it was just me and Mum."

     "You were just a kid, plus Mum was schooling you." said Fred.

     "And that's a good thing, so then you wouldn't have become a thick git like Fred over here!" George stipulated.

    Ginny grinned. She did forget what it was like to have Fred and George around. They cheered her up. "So are you saying that you don't think me as a 'kid' anymore?"

     "We'll always think you as our little sister, but we do have to recognize that you are growing up." Fred replied.

     "Although, we are still three years older so we want to offer some advice." George said.

     "Advice on what?" Ginny asked firmly.

     "Oh, you know, the basics: getting through fifth year classes--" George started.

     "We'll supply you a good amount of Skiving Snackboxes for a good discount!" added Fred.

    George continued, "We can help you out with unsightly blemishes," Ginny put her hand over her nose.

    Fred reached into his pocket and grabbed a corked glass bottle filled with white substance, "Oh, here's a pimple potion we've been using for years!" He handed it over to Ginny.

    George continued again, "Quidditch tips--"

     "We can also get you some fake broomsticks if Angelina gets on your nerves!" said Fred.

     "Fred, Angelina doesn't attend Hogwarts anymore, and I thought you fancied her," Ginny commented.

     "What makes you think I don't?"

     "Anyway, now that we're on the most important subject of all, Ginny," George continued, "we can help you get Harry Potter to notice you."

    Ginny's eyes faintly widened, but then she suddenly faked a bewildered look on her face, "What makes you think I want Harry to notice me? He knows who I am!"

     "Oh, we're on a first name basis, are we now?" Fred teased.

    Ginny blushed, "Well, he is my friend! Probably not as close as he is with Ron or Hermione, but we have normal conversations."

     "But Ginny, don't you want to go from just talking about Golden Snitches or gillyweed with Harry Potter to actually snogging with Harry Potter?" George provoked.

    Ginny felt her face getting hotter and hotter. "NO! I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE! THAT WAS A CHILDISH CRUSH! NOTHING MORE!"

    Fred smiled; he just loved pushing his younger sister's buttons, in fact, both twins loved pressing anyone's buttons, but that wasn't what they were there for. "You don't have to lie to us."

     "Yeah," George agreed, "we heard you in your room this morning talking to yourself."

     "But I thought Mum put a jinx on all the Extendable Ears that enter the house!" Ginny exclaimed.

     "But these aren't Extendable Ears," informed Fred. He pulled out a funnel of some sort with a long thread sticking out from the back.

     "Nope," said George, "They're Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition!"

     "Only available for a limited time," Fred quickly added.

    By this point, Ginny was furious. She was used to their gags so it was difficult to take anything out on them. Instead, she went back upstairs to her room and slammed the door shut.

     "Ginny!" Fred and George yelled, "We want to help you!"


	4. Fred and George make Ginny mad

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 4**

"Arggh!" Ginny grieved, "How can they do this to me?"—_what do you mean, 'how can they do this to me?'; they're Fred and George, she thought. "Maybe they __are trying to help, though." She said to herself and then thought, _and maybe I should stop talking to myself. _She heard a knock on the door._

    "Ginny, we're sorry!" 

    It was Fred. She didn't say anything, but she still wanted to hear what they had to say.

    "Yeah," George agreed, "We're not going to use any Extendable Ears or any of that sort anymore . . . well, in your case at least."

    "You shouldn't have done that to me in the first place!" Ginny replied.

    "Well, we thought that--" Fred started.

    George finished, "That there was someone else in your room!"

    Ginny rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I was using the _fellytone_." She didn't quite believe their claim, but she opened her door anyway. "Well, if you are really sorry then . . . get me a cat for my birthday! Siamese and a girl!"

    "No prob, Bob!" the twins said in unison. They walked into her room, and Ginny felt confident with telling them about her confusing predicament. She admitted all her dreams and feelings about Harry. She was close to her brothers, but when she wanted to talk to someone about her troubles, she usually summoned Hermione for advice. Hermione was spending part of her holiday with her parents. She was going to visit the Weasleys the day after Harry arrived. 

    "Our ickle Ginny-Winny is growing up!" Fred teased. 

    "Ginnykins has a boyfriend!" exclaimed George.

    "It gets old, guys!" said Ginny.

    "Well, when Harry comes, we can try to find out what he really thinks of you," Fred offered.

    George agreed, "Yes, and we'll try to get him to like you."

    "This all has a price-tag on it, though," Fred informed.

    "And what is that?" Ginny asked.

    "Don't tell Mum that we put flying spell on the chickens," George answered.

    "Yeah, that's why they're missing, but they'll come back once their wings shrink to normal," Fred added.

    Ginny smiled and shook hands in agreement.


	5. Making hats in Ron's room

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 5**

    The next day went by rather quickly. Fred and George decided to stay in the house again while Lee Jordan took over Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. They were sitting with Ron in his room making their own tin foil hats. Ginny was with them, too. 

   George threw her a Knut and said, "Ginny, be a doll, and fetch me a butterbeer."

    "George, she's not a servant dog!" Fred tossed a Galleon at her and said, "Get me one too!"

    "You both are so lazy! You can summon whatever you want! You're over-age!" Ginny asserted.

    "Yeah, but our wands are all the way over there!" George pointed. The wands were set on Ron's bedside table which could not have been more than five feet away from the floor where Fred and George were sitting.

    "If Ginny won't take the job, I'll do it!" exclaimed Ron, eagerly. Ginny glared at him. "Hey, I have to make a living somehow!" He got up and left the room to get to the butterbeer stash downstairs.

    "Actually, I think I'll go down too!" Ginny said right after she realized that she left her diary open-faced on the kitchen table. She couldn't let Ron (or anyone else for that matter) find it and read about everything that has been going on with her. He would tell Harry about it all.

    "Your funeral," Fred remarked as Ginny ran out of the room and raced down the staircase.

    "Fred, that doesn't make any sense!" George snapped.

    Ginny actually ran past Ron and got to the kitchen to find her diary untouched. She grabbed it and let out a sigh of relief. 

    Ron followed her quickly and arrived in the same area. "Hey, you turned down the job! It's mine!"

    "Yeah, sure," Ginny replied. Just then, someone apparated at the corner of the room. It was Lee Jordan.

    "G'day, mates!" he greeted. "Is Fred and George around?"

    "Actually, they're in my room," Ron tried to explain about the foil hats, but then demanded, "Aren't you supposed to be over at the shop?"

    "Well, things were getting ruddy wild so I came to see if they could come back for the rest of the day."

    Ron and Ginny exchanged nervous glances which Lee read as a sign for more explanation.

    "Oh, Neville Longbottom was in Diagon Alley so I let him take over while I am gone," he said as if it was the perfect solution. "You said the Gred and Feorge were in your room, right?"

    Ron and Ginny exchanged even more nervous looks as Lee disapparated. They both walked up to Ron's room as they could hear shouting.

    "What?!" Fred yelled, "Neville Longbottom?! He's incapable of managing a shop, much less a _joke shop!"_

    "What were you thinking?" George exclaimed.

    "I thought he could handle it!" Lee pleaded. "Hey, you look like McGonagall!" he point at Fred who was wearing his pointy tin foil hat.

    "I do, don't I?" Fred grinned, "but that's besides the point! We gotta get over there now!" 

    The three disapparated out of the room.

    Ginny turned to Ron, "I hope everything works out fine. Neville might be a little dodgy with doing business, but he's getting better with dealing with people."

    "Harry said that he'd take a summer job, but I'm guessing the Dursleys would have a fit."

    "Is that so?" Ginny remarked as if she didn't care to hear that bit of information.

    "I'm assuming you probably forgot that he's coming tomorrow." Ron said sternly, "Make sure you don't leave anymore glasses around the house or Mum will be nitpicking about how the house isn't fit for having any guests and--"

    Ginny smiled to herself, thinking, _he has no idea. _"Don't worry. I'll behave." She said just as George apparated back into the room. Ron and Ginny stared at him.

    "I forgot my shoes."


	6. Winky saves the day!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 6**

    Ginny woke-up early that day. She was fairly excited and somewhat nervous about what was to come. She took about an hour and a half in the bathroom—_thank goodness I don't have to share it with my brothers!—and an additional half hour in front of her vanity mirror messing around with some of the Muggle cosmetics Hermione had given her as an end-of-term gift last year. _

    "I look perfect!" she exclaimed with delight. 

    "What about your hair?" said a high-pitched voice from behind her. Ginny turned around and saw Winky standing there. 

    "Winky! What are _you doing here?" Ginny demanded. She saw that Winky was wearing her old tea towel—which meant she was back in work._

    "Winky gots hired by your two older brothers Wheezy Fred and George," she explained in third person.

    Ginny wasn't surprised. She knew they were lazy. "Well, shouldn't you be attaining to them? Not me?"

    "They told Winky to do what Winky wanted to do and what Winky want to do is attains to younger sister Wheezy Ginny."

   "Well, suits me! Get to work!" Ginny ordered, but then she thought about S.P.E.W. and about how she only joined out of pity, but she decided to be a little nice to Winky who was helping her look beautiful, after all. "Would you like a butterbeer, Winky?"

    "No, thank you. Winky been sober for three days!"

    Ginny's hair had a mediocre thickness to it, but it was rather fine. She liked her hair reasonably;  there was never too much to deal with it, and if it got too frizzy in the winter, she would use a special hair potion concocted by Mrs. Weasley. After about 10 minutes of Winky working her magic, her hair transformed into something it never was before. Her mane was full of beautiful ringlets and curls. Her front locks were pinned to the top of her head, and she was wearing a diamond-studded tiara.

    "I look wonderful!" Ginny exclaimed. "Thank you!" she said as she heard a _pop! and turned around to see that Winky had vanished. Ginny looked into her closet to find an outfit. Originally, she was going to wear the usual jeans and purple tank top, but she wanted to keep the theme going so she opted for one of her new dress robes. It was a sky-blue satin robe that had a hint of sparkle to it with wide velvet royal-blue piping covering the edges. _

    Ginny looked into her mirror and almost mistook herself for a model in _Witch Weekly Teen. She looked at her watch, and realized that Harry was arriving in five minutes. She was so pleased with herself that she didn't stop to think about how it could have been somewhat silly to dress up merely for the arrival of Harry Potter. Ginny quickly applied some extra blush, left her room, and gracefully headed down two flights of stairs._

   Downstairs in the main room, Harry had already arrived with Mr. Weasley and Tonks. They had traveled by Floo Powder. The whole Weasley family, with the exception of Percy and Charlie, was down there crowding around Harry and Tonks and greeting them. There was a chief sound of laughter in the air, but everyone silenced as Ginny came down the last steps. Everyone looked up and gaped. She smiled. Harry had his back to her and was the last to turn around and look; he gaped as well which sent Ginny a flutter.

    "Ginny, you look marvelous!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Everyone agreed and started crowding around her. 

    "I love what you've done with your hair!" said Tonks, with a little displeasure in her voice as no one cared to notice _her_ new hair style—which was bright green and in a beehive. 

    Harry interrupted the commotion with announcing, "I forgot to introduce you all to Inga!" He moved out of the way and Ginny saw her.

    She was a rather petite girl, but her facial features proved for her to be about 16 years of age. She had long blond hair and resembled a Veela. Everyone turned their attention over to Inga and started asking many questions.

    Then Harry said the words. "She's my girlfriend!" Ginny's heart dropped.


	7. Fred destroys the day!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 7**

    Ginny hastily sat up straight in bed, her eyes wide and horror-stricken, as she was breathing heavily. "Oh! It was just a nightmare!" It was a relief to know that it hadn't come true, but the dreadful part about it was that she was still going to have to face Harry that morning. She decided not to jinx her chances of not looking like a fool in front of Harry by not spending too much time making herself look pretty. 

    "Brushing my hair won't hurt, though," she said as she glanced in her mirror and let out a scream of dismay. There was no doubt that everyone (including the creatures and the ghoul) heard  the cry, as there was a large boil taking up the majority of her nose. 

    "What's wrong, Ginny?" Mr. Weasley asked, worried as he entered her room with Mrs. Weasley. Ginny turned around and they saw what was wrong.

    "Oh, dear!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

    "Eww!" said Mr. Weasley as Mrs. Weasley smacked him on the arm. "Oh, I mean, you can hardly notice it at all!"

    "FRED!!!" Ginny screamed. She kept in mind that he was the one who lent her the pimple potion and she applied it the night before.

    A minute later, Fred came into the room looking rather tired, "What's up, Gin?" he yawned. As the three stared at him, he noticed her boil and then fully woke-up, "Aah! What _is_ that?! What a fright?!"

   "You did this to me!" Ginny said furiously, "you gave me that joke pimple potion!"

    Fred contemplated for a few seconds and then remembered the event. "Oh! Oh, of course! But that wasn't a trick! I forgot to tell you that it should only be taken by males!"

    Ginny was very confused. "Only by males? What do you mean?"

    "Well, it's worked wonders for George and me, but it affects women differently, well, oppositely to be more precise!"

    Ginny was on the verge of tears, but she had hope. "Mum! Fix this!"

    "I'll try, Ginny!" she said as she hugged her daughter. "It's not permanent. The same thing happened to a friend of mine in my third year."

    "Really? What happened?" Ginny asked eagerly as Fred and Mr. Weasley felt that they no longer had use being there and left.

    "She wore a fake beak for a few months," Mrs. Weasley replied before Ginny started to weep, "Oh, I'm just kidding, dear!"


	8. Antidote

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 8**

Harry was supposed to arrive shortly. Ginny was in her room fretting about her nose. Mrs. Weasley was running around the house searching for possible antidotes and solutions. She came across a small vile in the potions cabinet and rushed back to Ginny's room who was weeping off and on.

    "I found it! Ginny, I found it!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully. Ginny looked up and became slightly less despaired. She took the vile and observed it. It was filled with sea-foam green-colored liquid. 

    "Does it really work?"

    "Yes, just apply it every morning and night for the next three days and you will be back to normal!"

    Ginny sunk low in her chair. _I don't want it to be gone in three days_, she thought, I _want it gone NOW!_

She looked up at her mother who was waiting for approval and Ginny gave a nod. Mrs. Weasley hugged her. "Don't worry about it, dear. It's not like you're going to the Yule Ball."

    "Thanks Mum," she said faintly as Mrs. Weasley left the room. Ginny unscrewed the cork and gingerly applied a slight amount to her nose. It felt rather tingly.

    "I guess that settles it," she said to herself, "For the next three days, I'm not leaving this room no matter how many house-elves come in and try to make me look awesome."


	9. Superpox

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it! Now, I know how Gilderoy Lockhart feels!—er, _felt_ . . .****

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 9 **

    "Harry! You're here!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. It was about noon and Ginny was still in her room, but she could hear her Mum's earsplitting voice perfectly from three floors up. "How was the trip, Arthur?" 

    Ginny couldn't make out what the others were saying, but she saw George walking past her door. She grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into her room. "George!" she emphasized in a hoarse whisper. 

    "Blimey! I didn't think it was _that bad!" he avowed at the site of her nose. "Fred told me what happened. Did Mum give you the antidote?"_

    "Yes, but it won't do anything for another three days! And did you know that Harry's here?"

    "He is? Maybe he brought me a gift!" George got up to leave, but Ginny was still holding him by the shoulder. "Don't you want to see him?"

    "Not like this!"

    "Don't worry. He's a noble guy. He doesn't care about appearances."

    "I don't think he cares about ugly girls either!"

    "You're not ugly, Gin-Gin."

    "But this is!" she pointed to her nose. "I had a dream last night." Ginny told him about the dream and Harry's new girlfriend.

    "Inga, huh?" George said, "Was she hot?" and Ginny smacked him on the shoulder. "I'm just joking! Plus, where is he going to suddenly find a Veela girlfriend when he's been with the Dursleys all this time?"

    "You're right, but can you check up on him for me? Give me the 411?" Ginny asked. "And bring me a Danish! I'm starving!"

    George raised an eyebrow at the word _Danish_. "I'll see what I can do!"

    Ginny had been waiting in her room for two hours. She was bored rigid until Fred and George came into her room with a plate of pumpkin pasties. The pasties caught her eye and she grabbed one for each hand. 

    "Hey, who said these were for you?" Fred teased.

    "So what's the deal?" she asked with her mouth full.

    "Oh, Harry's been telling us about his trip to Texas with the Dursleys," George said. "They made him go."

    "He brought us presents!" Fred exclaimed. "He brought one for you too!" Fred handed her a red box half the size of a shoebox. It was labeled, "For Ginny" in Harry's script.

    "He asked about you, too. He was wondering why you weren't downstairs to say hi." George nudged Ginny, and her heart skipped a beat.

    "We had to tell him that you were feeling ill, and he offered to see you, but we insisted that he mustn't incase he didn't want to catch _Dragon Pox_." Fred said.

    "Oh, great, am I going to St. Mungo's now?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

    "Maybe if you want to play along," said George, "but if you want to, you can hear whatever Harry says about you for yourself with these." George held up the Extendable Ears: _Deluxe Edition, gleefully._

    "You're going to have to go in the attic, though," Fred informed.

    "I haven't been in there since I was 10!" Ginny cried out. "And it's because the ghoul kept throwing stuff at me!"

    "Tough," the twins said in unison. 

    "Is there any other way?" Ginny demanded.

    "Well, you could always use a Polyjuice Potion and turn into one of us," George offered.

    Ginny contemplated for a few seconds and asked, "So how do you use those things again?" She pointed to the Extendable Ears. Fred and George exchanged glances and smiled.

    "I forgot about these!" Fred reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of square thick-framed glasses. "We're still testing these."

    "What are they?" Ginny asked.

    "_Transpectacles!" they both answered. _

    "You can see through walls!" George explained.

    "Yeah, you can see through walls and floors all right, but nothing more. That's what we're still working on," said Fred.

    "What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

    "Well, hopefully, you aren't too eager to see Harry's polka-dot underwear," George joked. Ginny's face reddened.

    "No, I don't think I'm up for that, but gimme the glasses," she ordered. She snatched them from Fred, and tried them on. She looked through one of the walls and saw her bathroom which was adjacent to her bedroom. It looked as if the wall was replaced by a large piece of thin parchment. "Cool!"

    Fred and George laughed.

    "What's so funny?"

    "It's just that--" Fred was stating through giggles.

    "You look so weird with those on!" George teased.

    "Well, you look funny in those pink boxers!" Ginny shouted. Fred laughed even harder. She couldn't see through their clothing, but she did recall going shopping with the twins the week before. 

    "I think I'll be going now!" George informed with a reddened face.

    "Yeah," Fred agreed, still giggling, "I will too."

    "Wait! You have to help me sneak up the attic!" Ginny cried out.

    George sighed, "Let's just go, and if we see Harry, we'll block you from their view. Ron, too, since he knows just as much as Harry does." He opened the door and looked out to see that the coast was clear. He then signaled for Ginny and Fred to follow him. Ginny was still wearing the Transpectacles so it was remarkable for her to see through so many walls in the hallway, and occasionally she would look down and see the rooms underneath.

    The three snuck their way up each staircase. They made it to the top floor, where Ron's room was located. The door suddenly opened and he and Harry walked out. Ginny ran behind Fred and George, but she was too late.

    "Ginny, what are you doing?!" Ron asserted. "You're supposed to be in bed!"

    Fred and George moved to the side, where Ginny was in perfect view of Ron and Harry. She quickly put both her hands over her nose and mouth, and started coughing.

    "Oh, Mum wanted us to take her to the attic!" George lied.

    "Yeah, she's way too contagious for everyone, especially with young Harry over here!" said Fred who opened the smaller side door and was attempting to push Ginny in.

    "Hi—_cough!—Harry," Ginny said with her palms still covering her face while she was pretending to cough staggeringly._

    "I've never seen anyone with Dragon Pox before!" Harry stated, "It must be ruddy awful! Oh, I see you got glasses too! I'm growing out of mine! I want new ones! Made out of solid gold and--"

    "Harry had a little too many sugar quills," Ron explained. "Let's go, Harry, before you catch the _disease." He eyed Ginny suspiciously as she was still 'coughing'._

    "I've had chickenpox before! And smallpox! And monkeypox! I've also had superpox! I had laser vision!" Harry went on. They all raised their eyebrows at the word 'laser'. 

    "Let's go, Harry," Ron pulled him away, "I'll remember to tell you to put sugar quills on the list of candy you can't eat."

    The two boys left, and Fred, George, and Ginny entered through the doorway which revealed a separate smaller staircase. They sauntered up the stairs, and into the attic.

    "Okay, so I'm a contagious beast who needs to be locked up in the attic with the ghoul, now?" Ginny said. Although, she wasn't too concerned with what Harry thought about that since he was in his own uncanny state at the moment.

     Fred looked at his watch and said, "I think we should be getting back to work."

    "Yeah," George agreed, "we don't want to see Lee giving a management position to Loony Lovegood."

    "All right," Ginny said, unhappily as she hugged each of them, "thanks for everything."

    "Tell us what happened!" said Fred.

    "Yeah, tell us if Ron says anything about the Imp we put in his room yesterday!" George agreed.

    Ginny smiled as the two disapparated. She picked a bare spot on the dusty floor and sat down. She could see Ron's room through it. No one was inside and after about an hour, she got exceedingly bored and fell asleep.


	10. Ruddy Ghoul!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 10**

    "Ow!" Ginny sat up. She was still in her same sitting position from when she sat down—before her nap. She picked up the object that hit her. It was one of Charlie's old boots. "Stop that, Ghoul!"

    "Not until you call me by my real name!" a scratchy hoarse voice said from behind dozens of crates.

    "I don't know your real name, _Ghoul_!" 

    "Then I won't stop throwing stuff!" he said as a mirror crashed right next to Ginny's left foot.

    Ginny groaned and reminisced about one of the tales Mr. Weasley read to her from a Muggle children's book. It was about a girl who had to guess a manikin's name or else he wouldn't give her baby back.

    Ginny glanced at her watch and it was almost dinnertime. Unexpectedly, she saw that two people entered the room below her. It was Ron and Harry. She quickly took out the Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition, and held one of the flesh-colored strings to her left ear. It was connected to a funnel that was standing on the grimy floor. 

    "If you like aliens so much, why do you want to repel them with those mad tin hats?" Harry asked.

    "Well, they only fend off the bad ones," Ron replied.

    "So simply the cute furry cuddly ones will show up?" 

    "Yeah, and he will only like me. And when Crookshanks comes along, he will scare him away by revealing his sharp fangs."

    "That's rather frightening to me, even. Maybe your dad should take us to see _Critters 12, and then you won't want to even think about it!"_

    "Okay, then maybe one of the less cute but harmless aliens can come live here. He can be my personal butler. I'll name him Wil-mer-ikinson-artle-bee. Wilmerikinsonartlby! I can't wait to see the look on McGonagall's face when I show up for Transfiguration with him!"

    "I say you just get a house-elf!"

    "A house-elf won't make Crookshanks run for his Galleons."

    "What do you have against Crookshanks, anyway? He was right in torturing Scabbers!"

    "Yeah, but he also thinks he's Mr. Know-It-All."

    "Crookshanks is just a cat, Ron." Harry shook his head. "Didn't Fred say he was going out to get a cat for Ginny?"

    Ginny started paying more attention as the subject of her came about. She was also thrilled at the fact that she was getting her own cat.

    "When did he say that?" Ron asked.

    "While we were just downstairs and you were helping your mom with the stew. I was still on my sugar quill high, and I was asking Fred and George all sorts of strange questions. I can hardly remember them all, though. But I said something like, why does Ginny have such pretty eyes or something weird like that."

    "You think my sister has pretty eyes?"

    "Well, No--" Harry had partial genuineness in his voice. Ginny frowned.

    "So you think she has ugly eyes?" 

    "No!" 

    "Then what's the deal? Do you like her eyes or not?"

    "I don't know! Why does that matter?"

    "You told Fred and George she had pretty eyes."

    "Yeah, and I also said my shoes were made out of Hagrid's beard."

    "Okay, so that means you hate Ginny's eyes?"

    Harry groaned. "NO! HER EYES ARE BEAUTIFUL! OKAY?"

    Ron was shocked at those words, and then a few seconds later, he said, "I don't know what you see in my sister's eyes. They're just brown and boring."

    Ginny was so ecstatic that she squealed. She was so jovial that she arose and danced. _Harry thinks I have beautiful eyes!, she thought. No one could take her off Cloud 9—no one except the ghoul. A large book hit her on the back of her knee and she lost balance and collapsed on the floor, hitting her head on the corner of an old coffee table. _

    She got up and rubbed her head which now had a large bump on the right corner of her forehead. "GHOUL!"

    Harry looked up, "Is that ghoul thingy still up there?"

    "Yeah, he's making more noise than usual, probably because Ginny is accompanying him today," Ron said with a snigger. Harry refrained from laughing. Ginny forgot about the ghoul and listened in.

    "Does she really have Dragon Pox?" Harry asked.

    "I'm not even sure anymore. It seems as though she, Fred, and George were up to something, and I wish they could have clued me in."

    "Maybe she's a werewolf," Harry joked, but Ron didn't find it quite as comedic.

    "I bet she is! Fred and George probably put her in a room with another werewolf so it could bite her. One of their little experiments!"

    Ginny rolled her eyes at the nonsense Ron was talking about.

    "But there isn't a full moon, tonight," Harry pointed out.

    "Yeah, well, whatever they're keeping from us, we're going to find out!"

    "How will we do that?"

    "Don't be thick. You find your way through everything!"

    "Okay, maybe I do, but it will be five times harder without Hermione around to aid me."

    "Right, but Hermione is coming tomorrow, and I'm sure Ginny will tell her everything, and Hermione will make it ten times harder for us to find out. We better make haste."

    "What are we going to do, then?" Harry demanded.

    "Well, did you bring your invisibility cloak?"

    "Yeah."

    "Good, we're going in the attic!"

    Ginny looked straight. She was humored by the fact that Ron and Harry thought there was some brilliant scheme she and the twins were planning, but she undeniably didn't like the concept of them going into the attic and seeing her in her condition. _A boil, a bump in the head, eerie glasses, could it get any worse?, she thought. Suddenly, an old dead Bludger hit her in the stomach._

    "RUMPLESTILTSKIN!" she yelled.


	11. 3 Days, 3 Hours

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 11**

    Ginny was so aggravated with the ghoul that she got up and departed the scene. "I don't care who sees me! This is so annoying!" She was concerned enough to hastily rush by Ron's bedroom door incase he and Harry didn't abscond yet. After she passed by, she heard a doorknob click and the door creak open.

    "Ginny!" Ron called, but then she started running.

    "What's up with her?" Harry asked. Ginny ran down to her bedroom.

    "I don't think they noticed anything!" she panted as she hopped onto her bed. "Ginny—2; Ron and Harry—0!" She thought it more as a game she was playing and overlooked what gave her the challenge in the first place. She fell back into reality after her stomach growled.

    "Those pumpkin pasties aren't very filling," she said to herself. "maybe Mum can make me a sandwich." _But what if the boys are downstairs?_,she thought. "They're probably in the attic 'investigating'," she laughed. She decided to leave for the kitchen and found Mrs. Weasley making supper. Ginny didn't realize what time it was or how long she stayed in the attic.

    "Ginny! I haven't seen you all day! George said that you were feeling ill. Are you better?" said Mrs. Weasley.

    "Yes, I'm better right now. I'm starving!" Ginny replied.

    "You must be!" Mrs. Weasley said. "I'm so glad that you still have your appetite because we're having a feast in honor of our special guest."

    Ginny gave her an edgy glance and Mrs. Weasley mistook it for a puzzled look.

    "You couldn't have forgotten that Harry's here?" she asked.

    "No, I know, Mum. To tell you the truth, I'm not feeling so great after all. Would it be all right if you could bring me some soup later?"

    "I'm sorry to hear that dear, but I'll see what I can do. I wish you could join us, but if you don't feel so comfortable being around houseguests at the moment, then I see what you mean. I can tell you for a fact that your boil is gone."

    "What?!" Ginny put her hand to her nose, and it felt normal. She picked up a hand mirror on the counter and saw that her face looked as if a boil never contaminated it. "But you said that it would take three days for it to heal!"

    "Three days, three hours. Time goes by so fast. What's the difference?"

    "Well, okay . . . As a matter of fact, I think I will join everyone for the feast!"

    Mrs. Weasley smiled and gave her a wordless look.


	12. The Feast

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 12**

    Ginny ran up to her room to freshen up. She was very relieved that the infection on her nose had had cleared up completely. She opened the bathroom door in her room and walked into her bathroom, and saw someone familiar. The medicine (er--potions) cabinet closed abruptly.

    "Uh, hi, Ginny!" he said nervously. "Ron said I could use this bathroom for a second. I'm sorry. I didn't think you would mind. The other ones were occupied."

    "No, it's okay! I don't mind!" she said instantly. She was a tad suspicious of why he was _really there, though. There was an awkward pause as they made eye contact, and Harry turned to leave._

    "Well, it was nice seeing you!" he said gleefully as he opened the door to the hallway.

    "Yeah," she said, and as the door closed, "I'll see you downstairs in a bit!"

    Her heart wasn't racing as she thought it would when she would finally see him again, but she was still animated. _He looks really good in Muggle clothing. And those piercing green eyes! And the way he said my name!_

"But why was he in my bathroom? I'm sure it would be the last one he would choose to use if he was telling the truth." She said out loud, and once again, not keen in who might be hearing her. _But who cares?_, she thought. "I love him."

    Ginny applied a diminutive amount of blush to her face, and she decided that she was set—still against jinxing herself like she did in her dream. She went downstairs and out onto the garden where everyone was sitting. She was one of the last to arrive. Fred and George apparated onto the scene and sat down next to her. Lee Jordan appeared not too shortly.__

    Suddenly, large serving bowls and platters appeared in front of everyone sitting at the table. Ron dug into his turkey leg and stuffing as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley drank their firewhiskey. Everyone was eating, drinking and talking merrily. 

    Fred and George were telling Lee about a fizzy drink that they're working on which makes a person say swear words every time they burp. Mrs. Weasley would have frowned upon the idea—as she did with any other experiments they came up with—but she was too busy listening to Ron rave about the Solar System. 

    Ginny was sitting across from Harry. It was so awkward for her that she kept staring down at her plate of food, and kept adding more food even if she was getting full. _You can do this, she thought. __You're not 11 anymore. She finally looked up and noticed that Harry was staring at her. He smiled and blushed._

    "So I heard you went to America?" she finally broke.

    Relieved at the opportunity to speak, Harry replied, "Yes, I went to Texas."

    "Oh," she said, "Is America in Texas?"

    Harry gave a shy laugh and started to explain to her about the States.

    "Fascinating," she echoed Mr. Weasley. She wasn't the least bit interested, but at least she was _talking to Harry. _

    "I might go insane if I was surrounded by _American_ Muggles."

    "Yeah, I almost did. Everyone kept on staring at me like I was an alien."

    "Alien?" Ron said.

    Mrs. Weasley turned her head in Harry's direction. "Was it because of your scar, dear?"

    "No, it was because I was British!"

    All in all, the feast was lively and went well. Everyone was stuffed, but still had room for éclairs. People were still talkative, but Ginny could hear George talking quietly to Fred and Lee about the Extendable Ears, and that's when she realized that she left them and the Transpectacles in the attic. 

    Ginny got up and pulled Fred and George aside. "When I left the attic, I left the Extendable Ears--"

    "Deluxe Edition!" George and Fred chimed in. Ginny rolled her eyes.

    "I left those and the Transpectacles in the attic!"

    "So what? You can get them later." Fred said.

    "Yes, but I'm not sure if Ron or Harry got to them first." she said as Fred and George looked confused. "I didn't tell you, but when I was watching and listening in the attic, they were talking about how peculiar we were today, and they think that we're up to something. They said they would sneak into the attic with Harry's invisibility cloak."

    George smiled and said, "Is that all?"

    "What do you mean?" Ginny asked. "Aren't you worried that they found the stuff there?"

    "No, later today, we apparated into Ron's closet, and heard them talking." Fred explained.

    George chimed in, "We heard them talk about us, and when they were about to leave to the attic, we disapparated from the closet and returned in front of both of them."

    "Ron was annoyed, but we told them that they could help us out at the store today," said Fred.

    "They were more than happy too! So we know that they never went in the attic." George assured.

    Ginny was relieved. "I better go up there before they actually get to the attic, though!" She went inside the house, and walked hurriedly up the stairs. She ascended up the last staircase and made her way into the attic. 

    "That ghoul _better has not have messed with my things!" she said loud enough for the ghoul to hear her._

    "I wouldn't touch anything that has been in your mudblood hands!" yelled the ghoul.

    "I'm not a mudblood!" she shouted, and then added, "And even if I was, it wouldn't matter!" She looked around and found her place on the floor she previously occupied. The Extendable Ears and Transpectacles were still on the ground. She picked them up and attempted to leave, but she decided to have another look through the floor into Ron's room. She placed the Transpectacles on her face, and saw no one.

    "Oh, well," she said, and was about to take them off until she saw a door open. Ron and Harry entered the bedroom. "Oh, _hello_!"

    "Eavesdropper!" yelled the ghoul as a terra-cotta pot was thrown, but Ginny took no notice as it barely landed an inch before her feet. She sat down and gazed into the room below her.

    "All this eating made me--" Ron yawned, "really tired."

    "Me too." Harry stretched, and sat on a Chudley Cannons rug on the floor. "It's rather premature to go to bed, too."

    "Yeah, but we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," said Ron, as if he ever cared about his own well-being.

    "We should practice some Quidditch moves first." Harry said.

    "Yeah," Ron agreed. "I can't bare making a fool out of myself anymore next term."

    "But you redeemed yourself at the last match."

    "Right, but it will take a lot more than that to make it into the British and Irish league."

    "Ron, I thought you wanted to be an Auror like me."

    "I still do, but this will be for fun!"

    "You know what? Me too!"

    "You can be Seeker for Ballycastle Bats!"

    "I don't know about that, but you can be Keeper for Kenmare."

    "Rather not. What about you be Seeker for—let me think, the Falcons?"

    "Everyone makes fun of them. And with my luck, I'll end up with Malfoy on the team as well."

    "The only way for him to be worthy to be on any team would be if he was the water-boy." Ron laughed. "And if you don't want to be made fun of, join the Tornados."

    "No, I heard they have a ritual of eating flobberworms before every match."

    "True, and besides, everyone is obsessed with the Tutshill Tornados. You don't want anymore attention."

    "I don't like the Tornados anyway."

    "Really? Why?"

    "Because Cho Chang likes them."

    Ron laughed and blew out his candle, "The Chudley Cannons are a better team anyway."

    "I don't like them either."

    "WHY NOT?!"

    "Because Chudley rhymes with Dudley."

    "Oh," there was a slight pause and then Ron decided to reminisce about the food served in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

    Ginny got bored, but she might have found their Quidditch conversation the least bit amusing. She was hoping that they would bring something else up.

    "So what are we going to do tomorrow about Ginny, Fred, and George?" Harry asked. If nothing else sparked Ginny's interest, this definitely did.

    "We never made it into the attic today. I think they're keeping something there. I also have a feeling that they think we may know something," Ron responded, "Didn't you see that Ginny gave up the whole sick act?"

    "Well, you aren't going to find anything except for a rotten ghoul," Ginny said under her breath.

    "I heard that, mudblood!" the ghoul shouted and a crate fell over.

    "She was sick?" Harry said. Ron understood that he probably wouldn't have remembered much from his sugar quill high.

    "She wasn't really sick. She was pretending to have Dragon Pox."

    "Perhaps she _thought she had Dragon Pox."_

    "No, she knows what Dragon Pox looks like. We've been to St. Mungo's a couple times and it is not much of a great thing to have. It's probably worse than Superpox, eh, Harry?"

    "What?" Harry asked, puzzled, "Oh, I think I remember _that_." They both laughed. "I think I'm sticking to Bertie Botts and chocolate frogs from now on."

    "Don't forget Honeydukes chocolate!"

    "I wonder what Ginny would have done if I offered her some." Apparently, chocolate was a noble wizard cure for many sicknesses.

    "That's weird."

    "What's weird?"

    "It's weird how you say my sister's name. _Ginny_. You say it like you're in some trance."

    "No, I don't. I say it like I say 'Fang' or 'Biscuit'. "

    "I recall that you've fancied Fang and biscuits." 

    "Yes, but I'm not in _love_ with them."

    "Who said anything about love?"

    "Shut it, Ron!" Harry snapped.

    Ron laughed and said, "Anyway, I say we call it a night. Let's revise a plan tomorrow. It's not hard for Fred and George to keep anything from me or you."

    "But we need to have figured something out by tomorrow night because Hermione will be here." Harry advised.

    "We will, don't worry. You little 'Biscuit' won't know what hit her!"

    "I said, shut it, Ron!"

    Ginny figured that the show was over so she took the Transpectacles off, arose from her default space on the floor, and left the attic. There was a dazed grin on her face as she departed. _They're never going to find anything out as long as they don't see these, _she thought as she held on to the Transpectacles and the Extendable Ears. 

    She walked down to her room and a blissful feeling enthralled over her. She felt as nothing could go wrong during Harry's stay and that there was much more to approach. She felt as if something was going to happen soon, even if she didn't know what it was, but it was a lovely feeling.


	13. Quidditch wit da boyz

**A/N: **I keep mixing up American and British terms in my story. I'm American, sorry ;) I think I will stick with that, but I still like the word "ruddy"!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 13**

    _Ginny was skipping jovially through fields of flowers. She saw Harry at the end of a pasture. She ran to him and they held each other for what seemed like an eternity. She was about to kiss him until he hissed, and she saw a snake's tongue come out of his mouth. Ginny backed away._

    "What's wrong?" he asked.

    Ginny woke up from her strange dream. It was unlike the others which seemed to have more of a point. "That was a stupid dream," she said to herself. "Maybe if I thought hard enough, I would have been able to breathe fire." She giggled to herself at the thought of a scorched Harry. 

    She arose to do her morning routine quickly. _I can't wait to tell Hermione everything_, she thought as she brushed her hair. "But I still wonder why Harry was snooping around my bathroom." _Ron probably made him search for clues. "Yeah, probably."_

    Ginny was high-spirited as she came down for breakfast and met Mrs. Weasley there. She grabbed a piece of toast. "Hi, Mum!"

    "Good morning!" said Mrs. Weasley, merrily. "I assume that you rested well!"

    "Yep!"

    "It's a wonderful day. You should go outside sometime. Ron and Harry are outside playing Quidditch. They told me to tell you that they may need some help."

    "Well, I planned on going out to the garden," she said, not adding that she meant to write in her diary while she was there, "but that can wait! I'll get my broom!" She went into one of the cupboards, grabbed her Cleansweep 7, and went outside. She found Harry and Ron hovering around on the brooms on the field at the east side of the Burrow. 

    "I'm telling you, there is something very peculiar about her!" Ron said out loud, not noticing that Ginny was approaching them.

    "Peculiar about who?" she asked. Harry and Ron turned their heads in her direction.

    "Uh—Madame," Harry said and contemplated, "Hooch. Madame Hooch!"

    Ginny gave them a suspicious glare. "What's so peculiar about Madame Hooch?" she asked as she mounted her broom and levitated up to Harry and Ron's level.

    Ron flew over to her on his Cleansweep 11. "It's none of your business, Ginny!"

    "The same way how Madame Hooch's business is none of yours either!"

    Ron and Ginny were used to bickering, but Harry, being the mediator, chimed in, "Ginny, since you're here, you can throw the Quaffle around with us."

    "Surely, Harry!" she said with a sweet smile and then quickly glared at Ron. Harry flew down to the ground on his Firebolt, and unlatched the case of Quidditch balls. He flew back up, holding on to the Quaffle and threw it up in the air. Ginny caught it as she went long, tossed it and then hit it with the back of her broom, aiming it at Harry. 

    "Good one!" He said as he caught the Quaffle. He then did the same sequence as Ginny did, but aimed it at both Ginny and Ron.

    "I got it!" Ginny called. She caught the ball, and was about to toss it, hit it, and aimed it at Harry again.

    Ron was fed up about being ignored and excluded. "Hey, does anyone remember me?"

    Harry and Ginny both looked at him. "What's wrong, Ron?" Harry asked.

    "I'm the one who needs more practice than both of you! Ginny, you're off the team, and Harry, all you have to do is look for the Snitch!"

    "It gets boring looking out for that thing!" said Harry, "And Ginny needs the most practice; she's going for Chaser!"

    "Yeah," said Ginny, flying down to the ground to put the Quaffle back in the case.

    "Ginny being a Chaser on the team? That's ridiculous!" exclaimed Ron.

    "Really? You're not exactly Keeper material, yourself! Plus I supported _you when you tried out!" Ginny replied._

    "You both are perfect for the Gryffindor team. Now, stop fighting! We all need practice, and we must of well have fun doing it!" Harry said.

    "Okay, well, maybe it would be fun for all of us to be Seeker right now," Ginny said. She took the Snitch out of the case. Ron and Harry gave her nods of approval as she released it. She flew back up 20 feet into the air.

    "Where did it go?" Ron demanded. The three looked around.

    "There it is!" Ginny pointed to it next to a tall Oak tree. She smoothly flew over to it, closely followed by Harry, and Ron brought up the rear.

    Ginny was about to grab the Snitch as it disappeared again. "Oh, no!"

    "Now, where is it?" Ron asked, and looked around.

    "It's down there!" Ginny pointed out, "No, wait, that's a nectarine!"

    "You really shouldn't tell anyone when you see it, Ginny," Harry advised.

    "Yeah, she almost blew it last time when it was right next to Cho Chang's head!" Ron said and pointed with his index finger. "'_I see it!_'" he mocked in a cheery high-pitched voice. "Luckily, Cho was about to get hit with a Bludger, she moved out of the way."

    Ginny covered her face in her hands. "Oh, I completely forgot! I did do that!"

    Harry looked at her and smiled. She returned a glance and laughed.

    "I do support you on trying out for Chaser, Ginny!" Ron said, "So then you won't snitch on the Snitch!" He then disregarded his own advice and pointed below. "There it is! I see it! I see it!"

    "Ron, that's the same nectarine from before!" Ginny said.

    "And I saw it! Doesn't that count?"

    Harry took his glasses off and joked, "I think you need these more than I do!"

    "Shut-up, Harry!" Ron said and beamed.

    After spotting and chasing the Snitch several times, Ginny caught it. Harry was so close, too. She was convinced that he was going easy on her.

    "It was pure luck!" Ron argued as the three walked into the main room. Apparently, he caught it at one point, but it slipped out of his hand.

    "It's not my fault I have keen eye-sight and a firm grip!" Ginny boasted.

    "Have a good time, children?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

    "Yeah, but Ginny cheated!" Ron said in a non-serious tone.

    "Ginny owns! She flew like she was riding my Firebolt!" Harry raved.

    Ginny beamed. "I'm sure you would have caught it if Ron didn't fling that spider on you!"

    "I didn't know what else to do! It was on my head!" Ron exclaimed. 

    "Well, you two, go upstairs, clean up, and come back down for lunch!" Mrs. Weasley said to the boys as she was dusting the curtains. Ginny remained in the room.

    "Mum?" she asked. Ginny wasn't sure why she summoned her, but she felt a need to.

    "Yes, Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley responded.

    Ginny still wasn't sure what to say so she resulted with, "Can you fix this?" She showed her the tattered bottom hem on her jeans.

    "Most certainly! I can do it today," Mrs. Weasley said. "I'm so glad you're around to help me deal with all these boys running around the house. I'm always finding their belongings to be filthy and uncared for. I've given up, but maybe you can do something to save poor Harry."

    Ginny laughed as she wasn't quite sure what Mrs. Weasley meant by her last statement. "Okay, whatever you say, Mum."

    "Soon, you're going to know what it's like!" Mrs. Weasley said and then put her hands on Ginny's shoulders. "My only daughter is growing up!" She squeezed.

    "Er--I think I'm going up to take a bath myself!" Ginny said in an unusual state. "See you in awhile!" She kissed Mrs. Weasley on the cheek.


	14. Dudley vs Malfoy

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 14**

    Ginny was sitting in her bathtub full of blush-colored/rose-scented foam and bubbles. The Wizard Wireless Network was hooked up in her bathroom so music was coming out of every water spout. A cover of "Bootilicious" by The Weird Sisters was playing and Ginny turned the purple-colored knob on the head of the bathtub and the song suddenly changed to classical music.

    Ginny let out a long sigh. "Maybe I should have let Harry have the Snitch," she said to herself and then thought, _No, I will never sink that low to impress someone!_

    She rotated the green-colored knob and the bubbles and foam in her bath started altering to different colors. She settled with a purple tint and the smell of lavender. 

    "What if he was being easy on me and let me catch it?" she asked herself. She didn't know Harry as well as Ron and Hermione understood him. _Hermione knows what his motives are, she'll tell me. _"I'm so excited that she's coming tonight!"

    Again, she turned the purple-colored knob and landed on a country-sounding song called "Don't Tell Casper" by Eureka Cummings. Ginny sang along to the last few lines and the song faded into "Lumos This!" by the Fairykats. It was followed by an advertisement for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "_Located on Diagon Alley, and across from The Leaky Cauldron!" said Fred's voice, followed by George's, "_That's Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!_" and they both said in unison, "__We have best dungbombs Galleons can buy!"_

    Ginny smiled as she recalled the day they were requested ideas for their shop. She was the one who devised their slogan, "_Don't Wheeze Out!_"

    After she finished her bath and got dressed, she ascended downstairs to the kitchen for lunch. Harry and Ron were already on second helpings of turkey sandwiches as she sat down at the table.

    "We're eating out in the garden for another feast tonight!" chimed Mrs. Weasley. "Hermione deserves a warm welcoming!"

    "_I could go for another feast!" Ron said as he was chewing._

    "Why is she arriving so late?" Ginny asked inquisitively.

    "I don't know. Maybe aliens kept her hostage," Ron responded.

    "Aliens didn't keep her hostage," Harry said. "If anything, they probably zapped her brain out of her head and then let her go."

    "Good, then we won't need to hear her nag to us about not studying for upcoming courses," Ron said after he took a gulp of iced pumpkin juice.

    Harry laughed and Mrs. Weasley gave Ron a displeased look. Harry started telling them about times when Dudley needed a second person to play video games with. Most of the games involved defeating aliens and Dudley banging him on the head with a game controller whenever Harry gained more points—which was most of the time.

    "That wasn't good for the scar!" he said. Both Ron and Ginny listened to him intently as he finished his story.

    "Dudley and Malfoy would get along really good," said Ron.

    "But then again, they are total opposites. Muggle versus Pure-Blood Wizard," Ginny said. 

    "They can start a brawl over who hates me more. Malfoy has Crabbe and Goyle and Dudley has his gang of idiots." Harry laughed. 

    "That would be great entertainment! Like in a mooovie!" Ron joked. 

    "I bet Dad will take us to see one before the summer is over, but I'm sure you've seen many films, Harry," Ginny stated.

    "Actually, whenever my aunt and uncle would take Dudley to the Cinema, they'd leave me with Mrs. Figg," said Harry, "so I've been to maybe two or three in my childhood."

    "Oh, I'm sorry," Ginny felt apologetic about how he must have suffered very much while he was living with his callous Muggle relatives, but she shrugged it off.

    "No, that's okay, I've actually watched a lot more at the house," Harry said. He started talking about TV's and the concept of videos, VCR's, and DVD's.

    "Well, we'll go to a good one!" said Ginny, 

    "I hope it's about UFO's!" Ron exclaimed.

    Ginny raised her eyebrow at 'UFO'. "Either that or a sinking ship!"

    "How about a sinking _space_ship?" Ron said and laughed hysterically, but stopped after he noticed Ginny and Harry staring at him. 

    "Ron, you'd love _Star Wars," Harry said. "There are Stormtroopers and Wookies and Jedi Knights and--"_

    "Wow!" Ron had no idea what Harry was talking about, but the subject fascinated him so much that he spilled his glass of pumpkin juice as Ginny grabbed a London newspaper.

    "Do you know what _8 Mile is supposed to be about?" Ginny asked looking at the paper. "It sounds like a marathon run."_

    "Who would want to watch a lot of people sweat?" Ron asked.

    Harry laughed. "It's about a rap artist named Eminem that Dudley listens to. It's about his life story and stuff."

    "That would be interesting if I knew what rap was," said Ron. The Wizard music scene was always years behind what Muggles made fashionable so it was very doubtful they would have access to rap music through the Wizard Wireless Network.

    "Yeah, but your Mum might have to put a Parental Advisory charm on all our ears," said Harry.

    "M&M? Didn't Bill bring home some of that stuff last year?" Ginny asked.

    "Right! That was disgusting!" Ron said.

    "You ate the whole sack, Ron!" Ginny accused.

    "So? You ate up the Honeydukes lot!" Ron accused back.

    Ginny blushed. "I did not! I had some, and gave the rest to Harry!"

    "What? Harry needs to watch his figure!" Ron teased.

    Harry smiled, "That was the most chocolate I've ever had, and it made me a very happy boy!"

    "This is all making me hungry again," said Ron.

    "You just ate," said Ginny.

    "I want fudge," Ron retorted.


	15. Ginny's paper heart

**A/N: **I'm totally pouring out my heart and soul into this one *tear* I'll be okay ;)****

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 15**

    After the enjoyable meal with Harry and Ron, Ginny recalled the plan she prepared in the morning to go into the garden to write in her diary. She thankfully found that no one was present in the plot. "Good, no one can bother me," she said to herself and sat down on what looked like a lawn chair. It was orange velour and had tassels piped down the seams. There was a yellow beach umbrella hanging over it. She donned a pair of sunglasses that Hermione let her borrow after she told her how she thought they were so cool.

    Ginny contemplated on what to write in her diary. Naturally, she would write about most of the important events happening in her life at the moment—and there was no doubt that she would be asking herself where to start. For some reason she had the longing to record her latest dreams.

    She started with several of the dreams she had that begun with the Quidditch match and grabbing the Snitch under Cho's nose. She noticed how detailed she made them, as she hadn't had any of those recurring dreams for several days and it was common for her to forget any dream she hadn't recorded right away.

    Then she jotted down the one about her preparing for Harry's arrival and Winky showing up. "I would have totally made a fool of myself if I actually had the nerve to dress up for him like that!"

   Ginny then noted one she had during a recent nap. It was about Harry, but it was rather pointless. She and Harry were riding a horse down a deserted road. He was straddled in front and had a bottle of firewhiskey in one hand, and the rope in the other. He didn't have his glasses on, but he was dressed very ruggedly and was wearing a ten-gallon hat. Ginny was sitting behind him but both her legs were on one side of the horse. Harry kept looking back at her and smiling. He kept on saying, "_Whoa, there, fella'!_" That was all she could recall of it.

    She didn't forget the strange dream she woke-up to that morning. It involved running through fields of flowers, and Harry's tongue being that of a serpent's before they kissed—which didn't happen. At that moment, she found her most recent dream to be quite humorous. "Well, he's a parselmouth!" she told herself. Then she thought, _if he was an Animagi, would he be a snake or a stag?_

There were no more dreams she could think of to record into her diary. Ginny felt that she should write more. Writing in her diary was sort of a therapy for her. It allowed her to be solemn and reflect on herself and the world around her. Reading back on how much she progressed as a person also let her analyze her self-worth. It was the story of her life, and it was for her eyes only, unlike the time when she poured her heart out to Tom Riddle back in her first year which caused serious damage to others and herself, but it was also the beginning of her bond with Harry. Like her dreams, her diary-writing, or more specifically, her treatment against the world came down to Harry. 

    "It might be something to share with him in the future," she said softly. She wanted to reveal her views and feelings with something other than a piece of parchment, but with someone, and that someone had to be the only person who would understand where she came from. That person wouldn't have been Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, Luna Lovegood, or any of her brothers, much less Tom Riddle, but it would be the person who was meant to see it. 

    It might have been too early for Harry to take in everything Ginny wanted to disclose, but Fate did hold its place. It wasn't just a romance she sought after, or else she wouldn't have developed much since her first year. Ginny still didn't fully comprehend who she was. The pieces of her life were scattered amongst her, and every year more and more pieces would align in place. There was still long ways to go, but the focal point of the picture that she wanted to come together wasn't situated. Even though, she didn't recognize her motives, she had a drive to seek the portion of the puzzle that held everything together. 

    Ginny wasn't sure if Harry was the one to fulfill her ambition of copiously finding out who she was as an individual. She wasn't even sure if she had that goal set in her mind. The fact of the matter was that her mind wasn't taking its toll, but that her heart was in full effect.

    "I think I know what I have to do," she said quietly. _I'll write a letter to Harry. It's not something I will show him now. I can straighten my feelings if I know what I want to tell him. And I will have full confidence in the things I can't say to him now because he won't read it._

    She turned to a fresh new page in her diary and began to write.


	16. Dear Harry

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 16**

_Dear Harry,_

_I have no idea what to say! All I know is that I can't get my mind off you! When I go to sleep, I'm thinking about you. When I wake-up, you're the first thing that pops into my head. I even dream about you! _

_I can't keep myself from sounding so desperate, but it's the truth, and you are not meant to see this anyway . . . not yet at least. When the time comes, you'll understand._

_But I also don't want to keep my hopes up. I'm honestly trying to sustain myself, and you know me well enough that self-control has never been a major issue for me. Whatever happens in the future, whether we end up together or not, I can never let go of you. _

_And right now, while we are only separated by a few walls—literally. We aren't at the same point I hoped we'd be by now. I made that wish when I was young, and I'm different now. I don't have a petty crush on you anymore, but it did mean something. It had to. You mean so much more to me now, though._

_I haven't noticed until now that Michael Corner didn't mean anything except to distract me from you. I forced myself to forget whatever I wanted to have with you. I didn't have many choices in order to do that. Dean Thomas will always be a dear friend, but he doesn't come close to you at all. _

_My world revolves around you, Harry. Maybe this was the saddest excuse for a love letter, but instead of going on and on about moons and butterflies and flowers, I wanted put the petty puppy love to the side, and focus on my true feelings for you. I realized that I was pushing them away. I couldn't take it anymore!_

_I apologize in advance for sounding like such a harebrained prat, but I couldn't ignore what was deep in my heart._

_Ginny_


	17. Freda and Georgette

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 17**

    Ginny read over her letter. A few words were smudged from a small amount of tears that landed on it. She was feeling relatively weary from her day. 

    "I'm so tired," she yawned. "I mustn't take a nap. Not now," but every second that passed, she grew more and more fatigued. "Mum! Can you apparate me a coffee?" she yelled weakly from the garden.

    "How tall?" Mrs. Weasley shouted from the kitchen. Ginny knew she was in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was _always_ in the kitchen, especially on days like these when guests were visiting. 

    Ginny didn't respond as she was in the middle of dozing off to a dreamy slumber. 

    She was back again to the last Quidditch match of the school year. Ginny grabs the Snitch. "Hey, Chang! Looking for this?" she taunts. Suddenly, Ginny loses grip of the ball, and it falls out of her hand. Cho is quick and dives for it. She catches the Snitch instead. The Gryffindor stands are booing at Ginny and the other houses are singing "Weasley is our Queen" as Angelina Johnson spits on her. Cho throws it over to Ginny as she says, "I don't need _this_ anymore! You take it! It's useless . . . like _you!" and several guys from each house come to praise her._

    Ginny is mortified at the negative outcome of the game. "What-What happened? What-How-How did I go wrong?" Fred and George come into the field to greet her after everyone leaves, only Fred and George are female.

    "Freda and Georgette?" she asks. They look almost as if Ginny were three years older. 

    "Right, don't you recognize your sisters?" says Freda, flipping her shoulder-length red hair with blonde high-lights. She was in bright pink robes.

    "I guess," Ginny replies, looking at her feet.

    "Anyway, we're here to help!" Georgette says as she bobs her head to the left. She tugs at a purple ribbon tied around one of her pigtails which matches her lavender robes.

    "Help me with what?"

    "You're fashion sense!" the twins yell in unison and then giggle.

    "That get-up will just not do!" says Freda, looking Ginny up and down.

    "This is uniform!" Ginny exclaims.

    "Right . . . but you could have added some pepper to it!" Georgette says with a smile, her voice getting higher and squeakier after every word.

    "As Gryffindor Seeker, it's your time to shine!" Freda adds. Ginny is speechless at the nonsense they are speaking of, but she isn't as shook-up over her brothers turning into girls. 

    "You should have borrowed my gold scarf to match that _thing_ you're holding," Georgette says, pointing to Ginny's clutched hand.

    "You mean the golden Snitch?" Ginny asks, showing it to her.

    "Yeah . . . right . . . it's cute. Hey, why don't we call it a Glitteral?" Freda says.

    "Great idea, Freda! You were always the smart one!" Georgette praises. "We can sell it in our new boutique on Diagon Alley!"

    "Boutique?" asks Ginny. 

    "Right, our new shop, Wuzzy Fuzzies!" Freda exclaims. "Don't you remember?" Ginny is silent.

    "Oh, Ginny-Winny! You silly girl! I bet you've been spending too much time drooling over that Potter boy to remember!" Georgette says and bounces up and down, giggling.

    "Er—what do you sell at, uh, Wuzzy . . . is it Fuzzies?" Ginny asks, not too interested.

    "Oh, everything a witch could ask for!" Freda exclaims.

    "Yeah, we were sick of all those drab robe shops. We decided to make our own robes instead and sell them!" Georgette informs. "We also have charm bracelets and sparkly quill pens, and lots of other stuff!"

    "Anyway, you can have anything you want from the store! We know you have to look good when Harry comes! Oh, there he is!" says Freda, pointing at an approaching figure. It indeed turns out to be Harry.

    "Hi, Ginny," he says, "Hi, girls," he says to Freda and Georgette as they giggle.

    "Oh, he's so cute!" Georgette squeals.

    "Yeah! But, Harry!" Freda says and she gives Harry a flirtatious slap on the arm. "You weren't supposed to come yet! We weren't done making Ginny look good for your date!"

    Ginny rolls her eyes. This couldn't be less embarrassing then losing the Snitch. "What date? And I'm fine, you two."

    "Yeah, she already looks good to me," says Harry.

    "Awwwww!" Freda and Georgette exclaim in unison.

    "That reminds me. I've got to get ready for my date with Lee Jordan!" Georgette informs.

    "What? But I've got to get ready for _my_ date with Lee!" Freda yells.

    "No, he asked me to go to Madame Puddifoot's this morning!" Georgette bickers.

    "Well, he asked me yesterday in Herbology! He gave me a moontulip!" argues Freda, pulling a wilted blue flower from the inside pocket of her robes.

    "A moontulip? That's all? I know he likes _me_ better! He gave me his Prefect badge!" Georgette boasts as Freda gasps.

    "Wait a minute! Lee isn't a Prefect! That's Ron's badge!" Freda shouted. The two continue to dispute on one another.

    "Hey, do you want to--" Harry says.

    "Leave?" Ginny finishes and Harry smiles. They both depart from the scene and head over to the Beech tree by the lake and sit down. There are a several number of students scattered about, but to Ginny's surprise, she doesn't receive any further snarls—except from Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, but they were being ignored.

    "Sorry I didn't see the game. I had to do something for a friend. How did it go?" Harry asks. Ginny doesn't want to look him in the eye, but she does anyway.

    "Terrible! I thought I caught the _Glitteral_, but then I dropped it!" Ginny cries, and Harry puts his hand on her shoulder.

    "It's okay," he says as his hand moves over to the back of Ginny's neck. His face is coming closer to her face and a kiss follows. 

    "Oooh! Make-out party! I feel bad for your future kids! They'll have losers as parents!" Pansy torments, and her band laughs and howls. They are still being ignored. Ginny is very grateful for confiding in Harry, and she hardly notices a large tentacle slyly emerging from the lake and grabbing Pansy and pulling her in.

    Ginny woke-up with her eyes still closed, but with a slight smile on her face. She eventually stood up, stretched and looked at her watch. "It's almost evening which means Hermione will be here soon!"

    Ginny skipped into the house and up to her room. She was expecting it to be empty when she entered, but instead, she found two similar faces staring back at her.


	18. Hermione is here!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 18**

    "What are you two doing here?" Ginny demanded, tapping her foot continually on the red carpet. She was looking into the faces of her brothers Fred and George.

    "I think the question is 'What are _you_ doing here?'" George replied as Fred gave a favorable nod.

    "Seeing that this is my room, I think I have the right to be here," she firmly retorted.

    "True, but Harry and Ron are in their room so maybe it would be a good idea to spy on them," Fred suggested.

    "I don't spy . . . I eavesdrop," Ginny said in a witty tone. "Plus, they're probably not doing anything except playing Pigwidgeon pong."

    "That must bring a lot of excitement," George said sarcastically. He sat on one of the wicker chairs in Ginny's room, and slouched with his jaw resting on his left hand.

    "Well, I don't need to use the attic anymore. I can talk to Harry fine now since I'm back to normal." She crossed her eyes to point them down to her nose and smiled.

    "So you don't need these anymore?" Fred asked, opening up a drawer and taking out the Transpectacles and Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition. 

    "How did you know they were in there?" Ginny demanded.

    "Okay, we've known you for _how_ long?" George asked rhetorically.

    "You really need a new place to hide your things, Ginny. You should have thought about that a long time ago." said Fred.

    "Oh, by the way, here's a couple sickles I owe you from last year," George took some money out of his pocket and winked as Ginny looked slightly puzzled.

    "What's this?" asked Fred as he picked up a small piece of wood from the drawer. George got up for a closer look.

    "Looks to me like it used to be part of a broom," George said in tone mimicking the man behind Ollivander's Wands. "A nice racing broom, I might add!"

    "Oh, that's from Harry's old Nimbus 2000. I found it right after the Whomping Willow did its damage," Ginny explained and Fred and George exchanged glances and laughed.

     She snatched it away from Fred and blushed. "Okay, it is pathetic, but I was only 12! You'd understand if you were girls."

    "Hey, I know everything there is to know about girls! I read _Witch Weekly Teen!" Fred confessed and George gave him a shuddered look._

    "You do?!" George demanded and stepped away from him.

    "Well, only for the pictures of Beth Capecchi and Stacie Gripling!" Fred tried to redeem himself by speaking the models' names.

    "Oh, well, that's okay then!" said George.

    Ginny laughed to herself as she was reminded about the last dream she had where Fred and George were Freda and Georgette.

    "What's so funny?" Fred asked.

    "Nothing," Ginny responded, "I was just wondering who your boyfriends would be if you were actually twin girls."

    "Harry, of course!" George joked. "He's a ten!"

    "Don't forget Roger Davies!" Fred exclaimed.

    "Oh, yes!"

    "Right, he's definitely in my top ten!"

    "Yes! Now, he's a tall drink of gillywater!"

    Ginny interrupted the two by looking at her watch, and stating, "Hermione is going to be here very soon. I should straighten my room up a little and change clothes. See you at dinner!" She was pushing them out of the door.

    "Wait! We forgot to tell you about the surprise!" Fred exclaimed.

    "What surprise?" Ginny asked.

    "You'll see it tonight at the feast!" George replied and the two left.

    Ginny was then anxious about what the "surprise" was supposed to be. "It better not be anything to do with my feelings for Harry!" _But they wouldn't embarrass my like that. _"Or would they?"

    She looked down at the piece of wood she was still holding and observed it. _I haven't really thought about what Hermione might think about everything, she thought. "I hope she's not mad about the snooping," Ginny bent down to pick up a sock lying on the fur rug, and tossed it into a basket full of other garments. _

    "She'll get over it, I'm sure," Ginny told herself. She selected a denim skirt and a magenta tank top to wear. _I need her support. _

    Ginny had extra time to kill before she threw on her tennis shoes and headed downstairs just as Hermione was arriving by Floo Powder with Mr. Weasley. Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and Lupin were also present at the scene. Mrs. Weasley rushed in to greet everyone.

    "Hi!" Hermione said as she saw Ginny and gave her a hug. "Where are Ron and Harry?"

    "I think they're in Ron's room, probably playing some stupid game, but anyway, it's so nice to see you! I have so much to tell you!" Ginny replied as Tonks greeted her. Tonks had her usual spiky-pink hair style.

    "Ginny, long time!" she exclaimed, and handed her a purple glass-beaded bracelet. "Here, I got it at a flee market in London."

    "She gave me one, also," Hermione said and smiled. She showed Ginny the same one on her wrist except it was a pale blue. 

    "Thank you, Tonks!" Ginny exclaimed and hugged her. 

    "It's nothing much," Tonks said and smiled. She then turned her attention over to Mrs. Weasley who needed another magical hand to move some baggage into another room. "_Locomotor_ trunks!"

    "Come with me!" Ginny said as she grabbed Hermione by the arm and led her up the stairs.

    "Ow! What's the rush?" Hermione asked. "I'd like to see Harry and Ron, as well!"

    "You'll see them later!" Ginny said as she continued on dragging Hermione up to her room but liberated after a few moments.

    They eventually arrived in Ginny's bedroom and got situated. "Now, what is it you have to tell me?" Hermione asked.

     "There's so much, I don't know where to begin!" Ginny was talking very impatiently. "So I wrote down everything that's been happening!" She handed the piece of parchment over to Hermione. It was very long, but it only took a minute for Hermione to intake everything.

    Ginny couldn't tell what Hermione was thinking by her facial expression. She appeared as though she understood, but she also seemed as if didn't know what to tell her.

    Hermione smiled, "Oh, Ginny, I'm so happy!"

    "You are?" Ginny asked as Hermione hugged her.

    "Well, I was glad when you told me you were over Harry a long time ago because I didn't think you should have been focusing on something other than schoolwork, but I also thought it was a pity that you and Harry might have never been meant to be. I know you're older now and you can tell whether it's a good idea or not to pursue a relationship with him."

    "I'm glad you're not angry about me snooping up in the attic." Ginny said and smiled.

    "Oh, that," said Hermione and she gave a concerned look as Ginny's smile faded. "I'm not sure if I approve of _that_."

    Ginny looked away. "It's not a big deal."

    "It _is a big deal. I'm sure you wouldn't want them to do the same to you."_

    Ginny looked down at her freckled legs. "But they didn't talk about anything they wouldn't have said in front of me."

    "That's beside the point, and I'm sure Harry wouldn't have told you to your face that you have beautiful eyes."

    Ginny blushed before she spoke, "I really wanted to see Harry, though. And that was the only way I could without him seeing me when I had that boil on my nose. But since I heard them talking about me, I can't help but want to go up to the attic more often. You just don't understand--"

    "I do understand!" exclaimed Hermione which made Ginny almost jump. "Okay, don't tell anyone this, but--"

    "I won't!"

    "Well," Hermione began and looked down at her feet, "Last term, I bought some of those Extendable Ears from your brothers, and I used them to hear what all my professors had to say about my O.W.L. scores."

    "And?"

    "And it turned out that they weren't going to find out how I did until a few weeks later, but Professor Flitwick said there was word about me doing exceptionally well."

    "You see what I mean, Hermione? I'm sure that that lifted a load off your chest."

    "It did, but I'm still not too happy about eavesdropping on my superiors."

    "I know you, Hermione. You like to break the rules as much as we all do!"

    Hermione smiled, "Okay, but I'm no Fred and George."

    "Good, then you can help me!" Ginny sat up straight.


	19. In the attic again

**A/N: '**Sup!Thanks again to everyone who's written the up-lifting reviews! And thanks to Mindy for giving me the cool notebook for my birthday (I write all my ideas in there)! 

One love,

_Nathalie****_

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 19**

    "No!" Hermione quickly responded after Ginny enlightened her of her newly devised scheme. "I won't keep Ron and Harry in their room while you go up to the attic and pry on them!"

    "Why?" Ginny whined and stomped her foot down as if she were eight-years-old. "You haven't talked to them in so long! It'll be like old times!"

    "I know that, but it feels like I'm only cheating on them!"

    "Okay, then come in the attic with me!"

    "What? No!"

    "But--"

    "I'm putting my foot down!"

    "Hermione, please, you've been wanting to snoop on the Order. How is this any different?" she asked.

    "The Order is important. This is just rubbish," Hermione answered and then noticed how hurtful her words must have been as Ginny's lip started to quiver and she looked away. "No, Ginny! I didn't mean that! I mean, you do know that this isn't life or death, compared to the business of the Order at least!"

    "Yes, I _do know that!" Ginny whimpered, wiping her eye with the back of her hand. "And I know that this isn't as important as Order affairs, but it certainly isn't rubbish!"_

    "Ginny, please! I just got here, and the last thing I wanted to do was make you upset!"

    "Good!" Ginny said after she abruptly switched moods and grabbed Hermione's wrist with one hand and grabbed the Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition and Transpectacles with the other, "Then let's go!" She pulled her out of her room and raced upstairs as Hermione groaned.

    "What's your rush? This is my good wand hand!" Hermione said as she was being hurried upstairs by Ginny.

    "I don't want to miss anything they say!"

    "You are unbelievable!"

    They reached the top floor, and Ginny opened the door at the side across from Ron's. They walked in and ascended the narrow staircase before they stridden toward the chief area that Ginny usually placed herself to spy on the boys. "Over here!" she said and sat on the dusty floor.

    "How do you use these?" Hermione said, gingerly picking up the Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition.

    "You use them like the regular ones, but the funnel has to face down on the ground, like this!" Ginny said as she modeled and then picked up the Transpectacles, "And you just wear these like normal glasses." She put them on and looked down. "Right now, Ron is writing a letter and Harry's sitting cross-legged on the rug."

     "Oh, how remarkable," Hermione said in a non-interested tone, but Ginny could tell she was faking it. 

    Ginny was listening to the silence in the room below her. She was impatiently waiting for one of them to speak as there was a strange silence in the attic, as well. But then, "Why can't we just go, Ron? I'd really like to see Hermione," Harry spoke.

    "I do, too, but we still haven't figured out what Ginny, Fred, and George have been up to," Ron replied after he stopped scribbling.

    "Maybe they're not up to anything!" Harry stated as Ron gave him a look that read, _Yeah, right. _

    "I know them, Harry. They are always up to something when one of them is acting strange. I never find out anything until they admit whatever they've been doing. For once, I'd like to figure it out on my own . . . with the help of you, at least."

    "All right, then I guess I can't argue with that, but it would help for you to stop doodling and start focusing on the plan."

    "I'm not _doodling; I'm writing down all the weird things that have been going on, along with all the clues and stuff."_

    "Clues?" Harry asked.

    "Yeah, this," Ron answered as he handed it over to Harry.

    "Ron, that's a cheese grater," Harry stated as he took it from him and Ron shrugged, "But here's a real clue!" Harry showed Ron a periwinkle-colored band.

    "Harry, that's one of Ginny's ribbons," Ron said.

    Ginny giggled as Hermione asked her, "What's so funny?" but Ginny ignored her as she listened more intently.

    "Yeah, one of Ginny's ribbons that I found in the _attic_, today," Harry said and Ginny almost jumped out of her seat.

    "They were in the attic!" she said hoarsely and looked at Hermione who mouthed, "Oh!"

    "Jinkies!" Ron joked. "It sure was a good idea to skip our baths and search the attic for ribbons!"

    "You know it means that Ginny has been up there!"

    "So what? We saw her go in there yesterday when you were 'sick'."

    "But she was wearing this in her hair last night at supper," said Harry and Ron laughed. "What?"

    "Nothing," Ron replied, "Anyway, what are we going to do about Hermy?"

    Ginny looked at Hermione and noticed how falsely bored she appeared. "Here," she took off the Transpectacles, "Do you want to check it out?"

    "No thanks," Hermione wavered, "I just don't feel right about it."

    "Really? You don't even want to hear what they've got to say about you?"

    Hermione changed facial expressions. "Okay, but only for a minute."

    Ginny smiled and handed her the equipment. She giggled at Hermione when she put the Transpectacles on.

    "What is it?" Hermione asked. Ginny suddenly related to Fred and George when they first saw her in the glasses. 

    "Those look really silly on you," she pointed out.

    "Sorry, but I'm no Fleur Delacour," Hermione responded, and looked down at the ground, she then gave a loud, "Humph!" and Ginny could tell what that meant. 

    As Hermione was listening and viewing Ron and Harry, Ginny couldn't do anything except attend to her thoughts. _Less than a year ago,_ _Harry wouldn't have noticed if I walked around in a Headless Hat, but now he can remember the ribbon in my hair?_

    She got up and paced around. _That has to mean something_, she thought. She then recalled the time in her second year when she always took note in what shoes Harry would wear each day. _He had two pairs of trainers._

    "Oh, no!" Hermione shouted and pulled the Transpectacles off her face. Ginny looked at her, stunned.

    "What's the sitch?" Ginny demanded.

    "They're coming up here now!" Hermione exclaimed.

    Ginny's eyes widened and she tried to quickly think about what to do. "Hermione! Go down to his room!"

    Hermione didn't have time to argue so she did just as Ginny said. Hermione raced down the steps and Ginny could hear the door open and then shut.

    "I hope they didn't leave the room yet!" she said to herself. She paced around and then decided to put the Transpectacles on and listen through the Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw that Hermione was talking to the two boys in Ron's room.

    "No, Ron, I don't believe in aliens, and I'm fine, Harry!" Hermione said with a fake laugh.

    "Are you sure? You look rather tense," Harry said.

    "No, I'm just out of breathe. It's a long way from Ginny's room up to here," she replied. She looked up at the ceiling and winked. Ginny knew that was for her.

    "You were in Ginny's room? I see," said Ron. "Did she happen to tell you anything?"

    "What do you mean? She just showed me some of her new _ribbons_," Hermione answered and eyed both Harry and Ron in a furtive manner that gave a Snape-like intimation.

    Harry and Ron exchanged glances that read, _she knows something_, as Ginny's jaw dropped. 

    "Don't give them anymore hints, Hermione!" Ginny said aloud, shaken.

    "Well, it's a shame that you came to visit Ginny first," Ron said casually.

    "Well, it's a _shame that you didn't come downstairs to greet me just as she did," Hermione responded firmly, "Both of you."_

    "I wanted to!" Harry pleaded, "But Ron wouldn't let me go. He wanted me to help him sort out his underwear first!" 

    Ron turned red at the lie and gave Harry a face that read, _I'll get you back_.

    Ginny laughed at the suggestion, and then heard the deafening voice of Mrs. Weasley.

    "IT'S TIME!" she hollered. Ginny knew that that meant that it was time for the second feast.

    "Well, I guess I'll leave you two back to your _sorting_, and I will see you down at the garden. Oh, by the way, Moony, Moody, and Tonks are here too," Hermione added as she left.

    Harry's face lit up. "I can't wait to tell them about my trip with the Dursleys!"

    Ron didn't say anything until a few moments later. "She knows. Do you think she knows?"

    "Who knows what now?" Harry asked, baffled.

    "Hermione knows that we know."

    "What? What do we know?"

    "We know that Ginny, Fred, and George are keeping something from us!"

    "What makes you think that she knows that we know what we know?"

    "Didn't you see her with her eyes of wickedness?"

    Harry laughed, "Ron, I think you should eat something so you can figure out what you're saying," He then placed a hand to his own stomach. "Me too."

    "But now, what if she also knows that we know that she knows that we know what we know?"

    "You mean she wanted us to know that she knows that we know what we know?"

    "Yes!" Ron exclaimed.

    "Okay . . . I don't really think it's a big deal," said Harry.

    "Yes, it is! She's playing games with us!"

    "I'm starving! Let's worry about this later. Then we can let her know that we don't know what we know or that we don't know that she knows that we know what we know."

    "RON! GINNY! HARRY! I SAID IT'S TIME!" Mrs. Weasley yelled again in her shrill voice.

    Ginny waited until Harry and Ron left the room and she quickly took her gear off to head off downstairs herself.

    "They don't know what they know," she said.


	20. Surpurrrise!

**A/N: **Treacle pudding? I never understood their desserts. Let's just say they enjoy pie and apple cobbler ;)

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 20**

    Ginny made her way into the garden where everyone was seated. To her surprise, she wasn't the last to make it onto the scene where the food was already being served. Again, Fred and George apparated onto the setting a minute after Ginny arrived.

    She sat down in between Tonks and Hermione who were sitting across from Lupin and Ron. Ginny looked across from her side of the table to see that she was seated in front of Harry once more. 

    "Oh, hi," she said stolidly as she gave him a weak grin. Harry didn't say anything but he smiled and raised his glass of iced pumpkin juice instead. She noticed that Ron and Hermione were already engaged in conversation with Tonks and Lupin to add their own few comments on the subject. 

    "It's clearly impossible for life to exist on other planets," Hermione stated.

    "How do you know?" Ron demanded, taking a bite out of a large slice of roast beef in his hand.

    "Ron! Use your utensils!" yelled Mrs. Weasley from five seats away. She was seated with Mr. Weasley and across from Mad-Eye Moody who clearly brought his own fork and knife.

    Ron put down his piece of roast beef and picked up a fork as he mumbled something grumpily under his breath.

    "You can't just believe everything you see at the Cinema," Hermione continued, "If aliens exist then so do, um--"

    "Fairies, leprechauns, vampires, pixies, giants, centaurs, witches, wizards?" Tonks chimed in to defend Ron and then she looked at Lupin. "And werewolves?"

    "But those are all known in the Wizarding world, Tonks! They are merely fantasies to Muggles."

    "I'm going to have to agree with Hermione," Lupin said, "Aliens are just as unreal as Father Christmas is."

    "Thank you, Lupin!" Hermione said. Ron's jaw dropped.

    "You don't believe in Father Christmas?!" he exclaimed. The argument was interrupted by Fred and George standing up and tapping their glasses with their forks.

    "May we have everyone's attention?" Fred asked and everyone sat in silence as they brought their awareness to the two.

    "Thank you, everybody! We just wanted to acknowledge a very special person!" George continued.

    "Our younger sister Ginny!" they both said in unison.

    "Ginny, please, stand-up!" George suggested. Ginny felt silly to get up since everyone knew who she was anyway, but her face was getting hot at the thought of what Fred and George were going to say.

    _Please don't let this involve Harry! Please don't let this involve Harry, she thought in her mind as she stood up and gave a nervous smile._

    "Ginny," Fred started, "You are our younger sister and you have given us so much."

    "You deserve so much more, and we would like to present you with what you've very much desired since you came back from Hogwarts," George continued.

    Ginny couldn't really pay attention anymore to what they were talking about since she was vastly embarrassed in front of the house guests. She then heard the name "Harry" and flinched. _How can they do this to me?_

Fred then waved his wand and a Siamese cat appeared with a purple bow tied around its neck. Ginny realized that she mistook "Harry" for the word "hairy". She was very relieved and her face lit up as George took the kitten and put it in her arms.

    "Thank you!" she exclaimed. "She's perfect!" Ginny had completely forgotten about the cat they promised to give her two days before.

    "That's a beautiful cat!" said Tonks, "What will you name her?"

    "I think I'll call her Lola!" Ginny responded. 

    A few minutes after Fred's and George's presentation, everyone at the table were back to normal conversation. Ron and Hermione continued to a related subject.

    "Well, I started using aluminum, but then I switched to tin. That was the best decision I've ever made in my life," Ron explained about his tin foil hats.

    Ginny noticed that Harry wasn't including himself in the discussion again. She realized that since the night was going so fortunate, she should start talking to him.

    "So what are you planning to do for your birthday?" she asked him. He didn't notice until a few seconds later that she spoke to him.

    "Oh," he said stolidly and looked up, "I guess I'll just do whatever comes up that day. It will be like any normal day." 

    Ginny noticed that he looked kind of down, but she continued to talk to him. "It's not going to be any _normal_ day," she said cheerfully, "It's your birthday and the best part is that you're with us!" Harry smiled just before Ron chimed in.

    "Ginny," Ron said loud enough for everyone to hear, "if you want to get him anything, he's always wanted bright pink shoelaces!" Everyone stopped talking after they heard what he said.

    "Ron!" Harry snarled. 

    "What? They'll match your earrings!" Ron said, and then whispered, "I told you I'd get you back!"

    "Oh, Ron, I forgot to ask you," Ginny said out loud so everyone could hear, "What happened to the pink socks I lent you yesterday?" 

    "Ginny, what are you talking about?" said Ron.

    "What?" she continued, "You're still wearing them? You want to keep them? They're my favorite socks! You should have taken the white ones! But no! You insisted on the bright pink ones!"

    Harry laughed and said, "Good one!"

    "Anytime," Ginny merely responded. Lola was sitting on her lap, and she crawled on to the table top.

    "Lola, come here!" said Hermione, picking her up and placing her on her own lap. "Oh, you're so little! You and Crookshanks will be the best of friends! I just know it!"

    "I'm so glad you left that cat at your house, Hermione!" Ron said.

    "No, he's here. He's in Ginny's room. What makes you think I left him at home? Who would take care of him?"

    "Your mum and dad?" Ron replied.

    "They're in Rome, right now, actually. I wish I could have gone, but I didn't want to give up coming here this summer. The Burrow—my holiday home!" she said with pleasure.

    "Really? I'd rather be in Durmstrang then _this place," Ron stated before taking a sip of his butterbeer._

    "I wish we could apparate and visit your parents, Hermione. I'd love to go to Rome!" Ginny said while Lola crawled back to her lap.

    "I'd like to go, also. I think my dad might've been Italian," said Harry.

    "Well, I don't know about Rome, but you're all welcome to visit my house later this summer! My parents are fine with the idea as they'll still be on their holiday," Hermione stated and Ginny and Harry's faces lit up. Ron looked somewhat tense.

    "You mean, with all those Muggles?" said Ron, tugging the collar of his shirt.

    "Uh-huh! Don't worry about them. Most of them are elderly anyway," Hermione replied, "I have some old neighborhood friends as well, but I'll just say you go to my boarding school."

    "Except for me, Hermione. Remember I go to St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys," Harry joked. 

    "What about me? For once, I'd like to be the one to intimidate somebody! How about Harry and I both escaped from St. Brutus's and everyone is out to get us?" suggested Ron.

    Ginny laughed at the idea. "Can I be the one they hold hostage?"

    "Then what will I do?" Hermione asked. Lola squirmed while Hermione took her back from Ginny's lap.

    "Police," Ron and Harry shrugged in unison.

    After dinner, Mr. Weasley proposed to drive to London to see a film. "Dad got a raise," Ron said. "It's not much, but he got himself a new car."

    The ride didn't take very long, since they were soaring in the night air at a high speed. Again, they enchanted the car with a spell to make it bigger in the inside so it could seat about a dozen.

    "Hey, _Signs is still playing!" Ron exclaimed, but almost everyone pretended not to notice, "__Signs, anyone? Anyone?"_

    "My cousin Jamie already took me to see that," Hermione told him, "It was a good work of _fiction, but I'd rather see something else."_

    "Yeah, right, all you probably cared about was Melanie Gibson!" said Ron.

    "I want to see Lord of the Rings," said Harry.

    "I do, too!" Hermione agreed, "I've seen it three times already!"

    "Three times? And you've only seen _Signs_ once!" said Ron.

    "I can remember studying Tolkien's literature in Muggle Studies," said Lupin.

    "I do, too," said Mr. Weasley, "Did a lot of great work, that Muggle."

    Everyone did end up seeing Lord of the Rings. On the way back to the Burrow, Ginny and Hermione were giggling over their favorite characters in the movie.

    "I liked the hobbits, mostly," Ginny said, "Especially Merry!" Fred and George disagreed and felt that Gimli the dwarf needed more recognition. Hermione took a stronger liking for the elves.

    "I think s_pew has a whole new meaning now!" joked Ron._

    "It's not _spew, it's S.P.E.W., and house-elves are completely different," Hermione said sternly. _

    "The only difference is that they're handsome," Ginny added, and everyone looked at her as if she said something appalling, "I'm only kidding!" 

    Hermione and Ginny got back on the subject about Tolkien elves.

    "Which one are you talking about?' Tonks asked.

    "Legolas," Hermione replied.

    "Oh, I liked him!" said Tonks with a wink.

    "Really? I thought that was the ugliest Veela I've ever seen In my life!" Ron exclaimed. 

    The lot arrived at the Burrow late in the night, but no one felt very tired. Hermione and Ginny were still in their room talking.

    "I've talked to him a few times since he's been here, but I never asked him about Sirius," Ginny said, "I think none of us feel like it's our place to discuss it."

    "It would be good for Harry to tell someone how he feels about it now," Hermione said as she was brushing Crookshanks.

    "I don't know how to bring it up, and I have a feeling Ron doesn't know how to either."

    "Then maybe the subject will come up accidentally. I don't think he will mind talking about it anyway."

    "How can you be so sure? Maybe he wanted to come here just to get his mind off it. Like he wanted to take break or something."

    "It might be a bit premature for him to think that way right now. I think we should talk to him tomorrow. If he doesn't seem to like it, then he'll forgive us."

    "Okay, I guess it will be good for him," Ginny agreed, "Anyway, have you seen Lola? I left her in here before we went to the Cinema."

    "She's under your bed," stated Hermione, "I think she's a little shy around Crookshanks."

    "Aww . . ." Ginny said and got off her bed. She pulled Lola out from underneath.

    "Crookshanks, you better not be too jealous already!" Hermione told her cat.

    "Hermione?" Ginny asked, "What are you getting Harry for his birthday?"

    "My parents and I went to Diagon Alley last week and I went to your brothers' store, and Lee Jordan told me to get him a faux Prefect badge," Hermione answered as she took a shiny silver badge out of her knapsack. 

    "Oh, cool, let me see it!" said Ginny, grabbing the badge from Hermione.

    "No, wait, " Hermione said, but it was too late. The badge squirted water on Ginny's face. "I should have warned you."

    Ginny merely laughed as she wiped her eyes. "Well, that's different from the normal homework planner."

    "Yes, I thought he might like it, knowing he's not a Prefect, but his dad wasn't either and he was more of a prankster."

    "I don't know what to get him," said Ginny, crawling under her sheets and clapping her hands as the flame-lit lanterns blew out and the room became pitch dark.

    "We'll work on that tomorrow," said Hermione with a yawn.


	21. Adult Supervision

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 21**

_Ginny woke-up in her dormitory quite late due to the overwhelming excitement her fellow Gryffindors had the night before since their was a Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor the next day. Her stomach was rumbling so she stood up and stretched, and realized it was almost time for lunch. As she freshened up and ascended down to the common room to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she tripped over her last step. The whole team and several other students saw what happened, and they rushed over to see if any damage was done._

_            "You're okay, right?" Angelina Johnson, Gryffindor team captain, demanded._

_            "I'm fine," Ginny replied, flustered._

_            "Are you sure?" Angelina asked, lending a hand to help Ginny up._

_            "Really, I'm all right."_

_            "No, you should be better than all right!" Angelina said and let go as Ginny tried to find balance, and she bent closer to whisper, "you're our only hope."_

_Ginny was usually easygoing when it came to playing as Seeker in Quidditch, but she did get a hefty amount of pressure put on her shoulders that day since it was the final match. There were other things to worry about, like her low grade in Divination—the one class Hermione couldn't help her out in. Her stress couldn't come close to what Harry was going through—with his dreams and Occlumency. Ron even had more to worry than she did. He was the Keeper, and had more responsibility, not to mention, a horrible track record._

_Ginny departed from the Gryffindor tower along with other students. She wished Fred and George were there, as they had already fleeted from Hogwarts and left a mark that students were going to talk about for years to come._

_"Ginny," Hermione said as she caught up with her, "don't worry about what's going to happen today. You're a really good player."_

_"Yeah," said Ron, closely followed by Harry, as they caught up with Hermione. "I'm the one who's got some worrying to do."_

_"Okay, whatever," was all Ginny could mutter. She wanted to play it cool in front of Harry as he was the 'veteran'. She noticed that he wasn't saying much to her as he probably still had a grudge over her being his successor._

_Angelina pushed all team members to fill up on food before they went out to the pitch. "Carbs and protein, everyone! Eat your CARBS and PROTEIN!"_

_Ginny was about to eat her cherry cobbler just before Angelina pulled the fork from her hand. "No! None of that sugar!" Angelina said, and expressed the word 'sugar' as if it were as evil as Voldemort. "It will slow you down!"_

_Ginny sighed as she didn't care so much since she filled up on ham sandwiches that Angelina forced down her throat. She decided to leave for the pitch early to change into her uniform. Hermione, Ron, and a few other Gryffindor D.A. members wished her luck. She walked out into the warmth of late May, and Cho Chang passed by to say, "Good luck!" and smiled. Ginny was about to respond right before she took another step and tripped over Draco Malfoy who was sleeping on the ground._

_He woke up abruptly and yelled out several curse words along with "no good Weasley!" and "idiot girl!". _

_"I'm sorry, Malfoy, but I didn't see you," she said as she got up and rubbed her head. She found that one of the heels of her shoe broke and she muttered the spell "Reparo" under her breathe to fix it._

_"You should watch where you're going, you stupid git!" Malfoy got up and patted down his robes with his hands. _

_"That wasn't necessary, Draco!" she said and turned to walk away._

_"No, it wasn't, but I can say whatever I want, and I say that 20 points from Gryffindor will do because of disrespect from a Weasley!"_

_Ginny turned back, and grabbed her wand. "Oh, really?"_

_Draco rolled his eyes in return. "Do you really want a defeat right now? There's one already waiting for you out in the Quidditch pitch."_

_"Yeah, and you would know how it feels!"_

_Malfoy was angered at those words so he took his won wand out, and was about to use a curse until Harry showed up without him knowing. "Densaug--"_

_"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled and cut him off. _

Ginny suddenly woke-up from her dream by Lola and Crookshanks who were mewing loudly to be let out of the room. It was rather late, so she decided to get up too, and take a bath. 

Hermione woke-up right after Ginny came back into her room. "What time is it?"

"Around noon," Ginny replied, wearing her lavender bath robe and matching bunny slippers. "I'll change later. I'm starving."

"I am too," Hermione agreed, but she decided to get dressed in her jeans and Cher concert t-shirt. Ginny gave it an odd glare. "Muggle singer," Hermione said and shrugged.

The two girls made their way downstairs towards the kitchen and found Mrs. Weasley preparing bacon, eggs, and muffins. Ginny was expecting lunch, but breakfast would have been wonderful as well.

Ginny yawned, and greeted Mrs. Weasley. "Hi, Mum."

"Good Morning, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione and stretched.

"I woke-up a little late, as well," Mrs. Weasley said, swishing her wand over to the table and having two cups of coffee appear, and then pointing her wand to the bacon as they turned over on their own.

"Do you need any help along the Burrow today, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, we haven't had a good de-gnoming in awhile--" Mrs. Weasley began just as Ginny interrupted by spewing out her coffee. "Well, if you don't want to de-gnome, Ginny, I can have you clean out the shed!"

"No, no, Mum. I don't mind to de-gnome! It's just the coffee! It needs more sugar!" she explained. Mrs. Weasley sighed and handed her a small sack of sugar cubes. "Thanks Mum." She then reminded herself of the dream she had right before she woke-up. Everything in that dream was what actually took place that day before the Quidditch match, except for the part of tripping over Malfoy and Harry coming out to defend her. 

Mrs. Weasley handed Hermione a towel just as Ginny noticed Hermione's face was dripping wet from Ginny spitting on her. "Oh, sorry!"

"It's quite alright, I needed a shower anyway," Hermione replied, dabbing her face.

"You can take one after we eat," Ginny said as her food was served. Harry and Ron showed up not too long afterwards. 

 "Good sleep?" Harry asked. Ginny took it as just a general question, but then realized it was directed towards her.

"Yeah," she replied and blushed. She felt rather stupid in her bathrobe and messy ponytail.

"Chure? Chair?" Ron said as he was staring at Hermione's shirt.

"It's _Cher," Hermione corrected him, and then taking a sip of dandelion juice._

"Muggle singer," said Ginny, her stomach fluttering as Harry took a seat next to her.

"My cousin Jamie gave it to me," said Hermione as Ron sat down next to her and took a piece of bacon from her plate. Hermione glared at him.

"You're cousin Jamie in London?" Ron asked, attempting to sneak another piece of bacon from her plate until Hermione snatched it away.

"That's right. Oh, Mrs. Weasley, I've been meaning to ask you if Ron and Ginny could visit before we have to go off to Hogwarts."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "as long as you have adult supervision."

"Uh, yeah, of course," said Hermione, "I'll see about that."

Mrs. Weasley gave her a questioning glance, and then looked away as she said, "But I trust you and Harry to watch out for my little girl."

"Mum, I'm 15!"

"Hey, what about me?" demanded Ron, chewing his food.

"Oh, yes, please watch out for my youngest son as well!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, and put her arms around his shoulders for a tight squeeze.

"Mum! I . . . can't . . . breathe!" Ron said, choking on a bite of his muffin. Mrs. Weasley then moved to Ginny and hugged her.

"You're all so young!" she said and practically strangled Ginny, and then they heard a high-pitched chime. "Oh, my biscuits are done!" she said and let go.

"Mmm, I think I'll go help Mum with those biscuits," said Ron as he got up from his seat.

"I'll go take my bath; is that alright, Ginny?" Hermione said with a suspicious look on her face that Ginny took not much thought in.

"That's fine. It's on lavender, by the way!" Ginny answered and Hermione smiled and left the room. Harry stood up to leave as well, probably to shine his Firebolt. Her heart dropped slightly, but she felt him grab her hand.

  
  



	22. Auralilies

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 22**

"Ginny, I need to show you something!" he said and she nodded awkwardly.

            "Um, okay," she said and Harry pulled her out of her seat and led her to the door to go outside onto the garden. 

            "It's here somewhere," he said, pulling her right and left.

            "Where exactly are you taking me?" she asked not too sternly as she enjoyed being alone with Harry.

            "You'll see," he merely responded and then pointed to an area blocked by a tree, "Oh there it is!" He led her over to a bush of huge blooming flowers. They were shimmering with a golden color and had translucent petals. The leaves in the bush looked as if they were made out of crystal.

            "Oh!" Ginny exclaimed in astonishment and she didn't mind that Harry let go of her hand because she was so enamored by the breathtaking sight in front of her.

            "Auralilies," Harry said with a bold whisper.

            "But these haven't been in season in--"

            "Five years, I know," Harry finished her sentence. 

            "How did you know I--"

            Harry cut her off again. "I heard you talking about them last year after a D.A. meeting. All you girls were talking about them, and Sprout said they would be blooming around the end of July this year."

            "Oh, I see," Ginny said softly and gazed at the Auralilies. "It's a pity that they only bloom for a few days."

            "Well, I'm glad I spotted them this morning, or you might have missed them."

            "At least we have the photographs," she sighed. Ginny was very grateful for Harry. The flowers always brought her joy whenever they were in bloom the first three times she saw them. She didn't remember, but Mrs. Weasley told her that when she was a newborn, the sight of the Auralilies made her stop crying. She was five years old until the next time she saw them, and again at 10.

            "Ron didn't care so much, though." Harry stated.

            "That's because he tried to eat one when he was little and his tongue got swollen," Ginny explained, still gazing at bush of flowers.

            "Oh I'm not surprised," he said and smiled.

            _Why did he wait till everyone left before he could show it to me? Hermione would have liked to see them too, she thought. She looked at him at the corner of her eye, and he sat down against the tree. Her eyes were twinkling as she wondered about Harry actually thinking about her enough to do something like this. She sat down a few feet away from him._

            "Well, thanks," was all that could comes out, but she wanted to let him know that she really did appreciate it. "I liked it," she added. That wasn't enough for her. Could she say anything else? Could she do anything else? Without thinking, she leaned over and gave him a hug. Ginny pulled back when she realized what she was doing, but Harry hugged her back and she noticed how inept it must have been for him.

            "Um," he said, and got up, "Are you thirsty? I am." He left before she responded.

            She felt sincerely dim for hugging him. _Why did I do that?_, she thought. _I ruined everything! _She didn't expect for Harry to be coming back, but she looked at the Auralilies, and they put her to the least bit of ease. She sighed and put her face in her palms.

            "Are you okay?" said Harry's voice. Ginny looked up in surprise.

            "Yeah, there was something in my eyes," she lied. "But yeah, I'm okay!"

            "Good," he said, and handed her a butterbeer, and sat down a lot closer to her than she did before.

            "Thanks, I haven't had any of this stuff in awhile," she said taking his offer. _I guess I didn't ruin everything after all, she thought._

            "I'm trying to cut down," he merely said. They didn't talk for about ten seconds, but to Ginny, it felt like a History of Magic lesson.

            "Harry?" she asked tenderly, and he looked at her, waiting for her to finish. "I don't think you'd want to talk about it, but some of us have been wondering how you are going with dealing with--" 

            "Sirius's death?" he continued for her again.

"Er, yeah," she replied.

            "Why do you think I don't want to talk about it?"

            "Well, you never brought it up, and you seem like you've been in a good mood as if you've been trying to forget about him."

            "Oh, okay," he said, and there was a slight pause, but he added, "the truth is that I think about it all the time. That scene just goes through my mind so many times each day. I'm not trying to forget about it, but I'm just looking for a way to deal with it. I was waiting for maybe one of you bring it up."

            "It also hurt me, but I know it must be so much harder for you!"

            "I know, but I haven't given up yet."

            "How do you mean?"

            "It did break me down. I've never been so broken down in my life, but I've been through so many tough spots, and I've learned to move on."

            "I see," said Ginny, staring down at her bottle. "I don't think you're ready to just move on, though."

            "I'm not, but another thing is about Luna Lovegood. She said something that--"

            Harry was cut off by Ron shouting at them as he came around the tree. He was followed closely by Hermione. "There you guys are! Mum made us go look for you!"

            "We've already finished de-gnoming!" said Hermione, "But you can help us clean out the—are those Auralilies?!"

            "Yeah," said Harry and Ginny nodded with a grin.

            "I've seen them in real life before. It was right after I was accepted at Hogwarts, but they were droopy and wilted. I also read about them in Neville's _Herbology Today magazine."_

            "I don't know what you find in some stupid flowers," said Ron.

            Ginny and Harry exchanged glances and laughed, as Hermione was looking into the bush for a closer view.

            "What's so funny?" Ron asked.

            "Hungry, Ron?" Harry teased.

            Ron was confused, but he responded, "I think we should head over to the shed now, and clean it out. I'm scared of going in there alone, especially with all those extellical cords."

            "Extension cords," Hermione corrected.

            "Right, right, whatever," said Ron and Ginny stood up and realized she was still in her bathrobe.

            "I think I should change and then meet you all down there," she said, and left the garden. Ginny didn't think any of what happened with Harry would occur. He did something very considerate for her and he even opened up for the first time about Sirius to her. 

            "Hello, Lola!" she said cheerfully as she found her kitten in the hallway outside her bedroom. She picked her up and petted her. Ginny sighed as she entered her room and thought, _this day can't get any better! _"The cat's in the bag!" she said out loud and Lola purred. "Oh, not you, Lola!"


	23. Floo

**A/N: **I think I've mentioned it before, but when I'm finished with this story, I'm going to write a prequel about Harry going to Texas with the Dursleys; a sequel based on Hermione's feelings towards Ron when they visit her house in London; and this same story again except in Harry's point of view!

Isn't it the most? . . . to say the least ;)

One Love,

_Nathalie****_

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 23**

            Ginny got dressed and was about to depart from her room as the doorknob turned and Hermione walked in.

            "Your dad came home early, and he said he didn't want anyone going in the garage without him," Hermione explained, and took off her shoes.

            "Really? I think we can handle the _extellical_ cords especially with you and Harry being there," Ginny said, still standing near the door.

            "Right, but since he's there with Harry and Ron, your mom wants us to help her de-doxy some cupboards later."

            Ginny sat down, as she didn't have anything else to do, but talk to Hermione. She liked talking to Hermione, but it was a tad more exciting to talk to Harry. "I had a weird dream last night."

            "What's new?" Hermione said in a friendly sneer. "You always have weird dreams."

            "Yeah, but it actually took place before the Quidditch match, and everything in the dream was in sync with what really happened until I tripped over Draco on the way to the pitch and he insulted me and Harry came out to defend me, and then I woke up."

            Hermione looked as if she was given too much intake, but she understood what Ginny was saying. "It must not be as bizarre as the one where Fred and George become women."

            Ginny laughed at the reminder. She couldn't wait to tell the twins about that one, and have them pay her not to tell anyone else. "No, that one was ridiculous, but I'm wondering if my last one stood for something."

            "It was just a simple dream, Gin, but you know Harry would torture Malfoy if he did anything to hurt you," Hermione said in a sincere manner. 

            Ginny felt pleasant about the fact that Hermione just stated, but at the same time, it made her feel more as Ron's little sister who doesn't know how to take care of herself.

            "Would he do that for you?" she asked with an inquisitive expression on her face.

            Hermione looked a little uneasy and almost saddened. "Well, I'm not really sure. Maybe if I definitely couldn't handle the situation myself, I'd get help from Harry or maybe _Ron_."

            "Didn't Ron end up coughing up snails last time he tried to defend you against Malfoy?"

            Hermione contemplated for a moment and smirked. "Right, I forgot about that, but they were slugs."

            Ginny smiled as well. "If I was there, I would have borrowed Colin's camera."

            Hermione picked up Crookshanks and sat on Ginny's bed. "So what did you and Harry do?"

            "When he took me to see the Auralilies, we sat down and I did ask him about Sirius," Ginny answered as she took off her own shoes and Lola started playing with an untied shoelace.

            "Really?" Hermione asked in deep interest as she let go of Crookshanks and he jumped onto the floor to paw the shoelace away from Lola. "What did he say?"

            Ginny described the full conversation with Harry from the beginning.

            "I thought that he might have wanted to talk about it with you or Ron first. I hope he's not too upset about that," Ginny said. She noticed that Lola was badgering Crookshanks about the shoelace so she picked her up and put her on her lap.

            "But didn't he say that he wanted any of us to bring the subject up?" Hermione asked with a firm point.

            "Yeah, but he probably expected a few other people to be there like you and Ron, not to mention Lupin."

            "No, Lupin is probably about as shook up about the incident as Harry is, and I'm sure they would want to talk alone since they can relate. Ron might have talked about what curses to use on Bellatrix Lestrange if he ever saw her again, and sometimes Harry thinks I worry too much about him. That's why he might have wanted to talk to me the least, but that's okay. I'm trying to work on my own flaws."

            "Hermione Granger has weaknesses?" Ginny said with a sheer placement of wit in her voice. 

            "I know! It's ridiculous!" Hermione retorted sarcastically. She hopped down from the bed to pull Crookshanks away as he dug into her suitcase. "So did think about what you were going to get Harry for his birthday?"

            "No, I haven't thought about that since last night, but I was thinking if we could maybe go to Hogsmeade or something," Ginny replied, putting Lola back on the floor and Hermione's suitcase served as a new interest of hers. "I don't think Mum would want us to go all the way there, though."

            "No, not Hogsmeade, but Diagon Alley isn't that hard to get through, especially by Floo," Hermione suggested. She pulled Lola away from her suitcase and gave her a fuzzy green ball of yarn. 

            "Now that I think about it, Mum would probably throw a fit if I ask if we could go by ourselves," Ginny stated.

            "I don't see why it's such a problem. It's only Diagon Alley, but maybe she can come with us," Hermione implied. She changed into a plain black tank top right before the twins apparated and Hermione screamed. "You two are lucky that you didn't catch me undressed before you apparated in here!" she said through clenched teeth.

            Fred had a foolish smile on his face as he turned and said to George, "I told you we should have left sooner!" Hermione scoffed. 

            "We're just teasing you. We would never do that," George said, and Ginny snickered. "We were right outside your room anyway."

            "Why didn't you knock?" Ginny asked with a dour expression.

            "It's fun to shock Hermione," Fred stated, "anyway, we heard something about Diagon Alley. We could take you there."

            "Oh, that sounds great!" Ginny exclaimed as her face lit up. She grabbed a small bag that held some of her allowances. "We can do that right now."

            "Fine," Hermione agreed and she looked at the twins, "but you two better not do anything funny with the Floo connection!"

            "We won't!" they answered in accord, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

            Mrs. Weasley was busy unscrewing the broken knobs on the kitchen sink that she didn't take much consideration in letting Ginny and Hermione leave with the twins. "You can go, but remember that I need your help with the de-doxying later!"

            "Thanks Mum!"

            "Thanks Mrs. Weasley!"

            As they made their way toward the fireplace in the living room, Harry, Ron, and Mr. Weasley walked in.

            "Where are you going? Did you tell Mum?" Ron demanded.

            "We're just going to Diagon Alley for a bit," Ginny responded in a vague tone.

            "And your mother said it was all right," Hermione added.

            "Diagon Alley, all alone? I'm not even sure if I like the sound of that," said Mr. Weasley.

            "Dad," Ginny whined, "I'm 15, and we're going with Fred and George!"

            "I'd rather go with you if I didn't have to meet with some members of the Order," he replied.

            "But Harry and Ron got to go help Fred and George at the shop!" Ginny whined some more.

            Harry and Ron exchanged curious glances at which Fred said to them, "Oh, we told them about that."

            "Then I believe there might not be much to worry about since you're with your older brothers," Mr. Weasley gave in.

            "Thank you, Dad!" Ginny exclaimed and gave him a hug.

            "Can we come?" Harry asked.

            "No!" Hermione and Ginny replied in unison. She felt unpleasant for turning Harry down, but it was nice to be the one to exclude for a change.

            Ginny was rather flustered and gave a nervous smile. "Oh, I mean, Mum said she needed some help from you two with fixing the sink. We're not as sensible as you guys are," she lied, and Hermione frowned at the statement as Harry and Ron smirked.

            "I can take care of it," Ron said and left the room, followed by Harry and Mr. Weasley. 

            "We'll meet you there!" said George and the twins disapparated.

"But I thought you two would take us--" Hermione started, but the twins were gone, and she groaned.

            "It's okay, we'll see them in a minute," Ginny said and grabbed a sack of Floo powder and threw it into the fire as she stepped in and yelled, "WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES ON DIAGON ALLEY!"


	24. Diagon Alley

**A/N: **Sorry for the lack of updates! I started classes, but I'm still into this story! No need to worry!****

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 24**

Ginny arrived in the experimental/storage area of the shop. She was somewhat lightheaded, but she didn't pay much notice since she was used to it. Hermione arrived half a minute later, twice as sooty as Ginny.

"Can I just sit down for a second?" said Hermione, trying to regain her breathe. Ginny looked around. She had never been in the back of the store before. There were crates of their usual products like Canary Creams and Skiving Snackboxes, but there were also many corked glass potion bottles. She saw what looked like a fish tank, only it was full of honey bees. 

"I see that you arrived safely!" said Fred, wearing a long white coat and goggles.

"Yeah," said Ginny, "what's with the bees?"

Hermione cut Fred off before he could speak. "That's a bee chamber," she said.

"Oh," said Ginny, trying to understand, "what is it for?"

"We're not really using it for anything. The Ministry of Magic is just paying us to keep it here," Fred answered. Ginny was still puzzled, and Hermione opened her mouth, only this time to get cut off by Fred. "When you get stung, do you ever wonder where the bee goes?" he asked and Ginny shrugged. "They appear in a bee chamber to regain their strength." 

"Muggles think that the bee dies when it stings someone," said Hermione.

Fred chuckled and shook his head. "_Muggles."_

"You're going to learn about it in Care of the Magical Creatures this year, Ginny. I already knew they were magical creatures before that class from reading about it in--" Hermione said, but George walked into the room wearing a coat identical to Fred's.

"Oh, you two made it! Welcome! Do you want to see our new line of Headless Hats?" he asked. The two girls followed him through a door into the main shopping area. Ginny saw a shelf that had a sign that said '_Fashions by Fred_'. 

"I thought you both came up with the Headless Hat idea," she said.

"We did, but Fred designed them. They disappear once you wear them, but we're trying to get people to buy," George explained opening a bottle of butterbeer. Ginny picked up a furry orange hat, and examined it. "We're also working on footless socks!"

"I need to stop by Gringotts, if that's okay, with you, Ginny?" Hermione said, heading for the exit. 

"Sure, go ahead," Ginny said, not paying much attention as she picked up and observed a puke green ten-gallon hat. She laughed and thought, _I'm definitely not getting Harry one of these._

"Oh, that one if a costumer favorite. It also comes in vermillion and robin's egg blue!" George said, waving his wand and having several more hats appear on the shelf.

"Oh, really," Ginny replied with unresponsiveness. "Would it be alright if I shopped around the other stores? I'm looking for a present for You-Know-Who," she said with a wink and then realized that she put it the wrong way when George spurted out his last sip of butterbeer. "I mean, the other one! The one with--" she stopped and looked around the shop to see how many people were in there and then whispered, "the glasses."

George gave her a comprehending nod and said, "Oh, that's alright with me, but remember that tomorrow is the big Living Limbs sale!" 

Ginny gave him an appreciative smile and left the shop. She stopped at the Sickle Store, and found nothing except for a toy mouse for Lola. She went to several other stores and anything that she found suitable for Harry was either something he already owned or unaffordable. By the time she was leaving Flourish and Botts, she was peeved until she saw Hermione walk through the door.

"Hi!" Hermione greeted. "Did you find anything?" she asked, but found Ginny's disappointed expression as a fitting answer.

"We should have gone to Hogsmeade!" Ginny said.

            "You know it would be really tough to get to," Hermione said, "but you can always make something."

            "Like what? I'm a bad cook. Remember last year at Sirius's house when all the eggs hatched before I could make breakfast for everyone?"

            "That was the twins' fault; you know that, Gin," Hermione responded and a large book covered in tree's bark caught her eye.

            "True, but that's what's keeping me from ever doing it again!" Ginny said, and followed Hermione over to the book that was titled, Predetermined Study of the Magical Woodlands of Europe.

            "You don't have to cook something," said Hermione as she examined the book. "You should learn to be a little more crafty."

            "What do you mean?"

            "You can make him a coffee mug or a badge. Something of that sort," Hermione explained, flipping through pages. "I'm going to get this. Are you sure you didn't find anything?" Ginny shook her head in response. "Okay, then." Hermione purchased the book, and the two headed towards The Three Broomsticks for ice cream.__


	25. Out the Window!

**Disclaimer:** None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

**Chapter 25**

The Floo excursion back to the Burrow was the same as always. Hermione looked even more like a coal miner, but Ginny made a way to only let a minimal amount of powder sprinkled on her, though it was enough for each journey.

"We better not let Mum know we came back so late," said Ginny on her way to her bedroom. They never told discussed a certain time they'd be back with Mrs. Weasley, but Ginny was always prepared.

"We've only been gone for a few hours," said Hermione looking at her watch. The two girls were a few feet away from Ginny's door, but heard Mrs. Weasley's voice.

"Good trip, girls?" she asked. She sounded stern, yet pleasant.

"Yeah, it was okay. I didn't get anything though," said Ginny who was surprised at Mrs. Weasley's satisfying tone.

"I got a few books and quills. That was all, but I did have trouble with the new employee at Gringotts," said Hermione.

"I think I know who you're talking about. Bill has told me about him," said Mrs. Weasley. Hermione told her about how he kept guiding her to other peoples' vaults.

"You can't argue with a goblin either!" she said.

"Do you want us to get rid of the doxies now?" Ginny asked.

"No, it's fine. Harry and Ron did the job." She answered.

"Oh, I hope they're not mad at us," said Hermione.

"They're not mad. They were actually happy to do it."

"Oh, that's right. Because it takes a real man to de-doxy a cabinet," Ginny joked.

"You know how boys are," said Mrs. Weasley. She gave Ginny a stealthy wink. 

"Is there anything else you want us to do, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, "No, nothing really. Except I want both of you to clean up before dinner which I should start preparing now. I'll see you two in a short while!"

Ginny walked into her room along with Hermione who immediately sat down and took her shoes off. "My feet hurt. I should get some new shoes before school begins because Merlin knows how many miles I'm going to walk each day to classes."

Ginny started rummaging through drawers and boxes in her room as she didn't take interest in what Hermione was saying. "I have two days to do something for him! His birthday is in two days!"

Hermione gave a dull laugh. "You can give him a dead frog and he would treasure it like it was his Firebolt!"

"What?" asked Ginny, as emptied her sock drawer.

"Okay, maybe not like his Firebolt, but he would treat it like it was gold," Hermione assured.

"And what makes you think that?" Ginny said with snort of amusement.

"He always gets close to you when you're in the same room. He gave you his popcorn when you dropped yours last night when we saw the movie, but he never offers any of his food to Ron. And he took you to see those Auralilies."

"What's your point?" said Ginny. She knew that Hermione was going somewhere, but she wanted to hear everything else that she noticed.

"Harry really likes you."

"Well, maybe he started to feel bad that he wasn't very close to me, and now he wants a tight friendship," said Ginny. She was putting all her socks back in her drawer, but thought to herself about Harry actually fancying her. 

She stopped denying her feelings for him, but she assumed that it would take a much longer time and much more effort for Harry to start having the same feelings for her. She thought it was very possible for Harry to fall in love with her, but she wasn't prepared for when it would happen. And since that it was likely that he was taking interest in her, she didn't want to get her hopes too high incase Harry was just misunderstood in his actions towards Ginny.

"That could be, but no one can be more perfect for him than you, and he needs to start realizing that," Hermione said. Ginny wasn't used to Hermione talking deeply like that, but it meant something to her. Hermione was like her wise older sister.

Ginny let out a long sigh. "Unless he's realizing it now."

Hermione smiled. "I think I should take another bath."

"Okay, but let me give you some extra towels," she said. She picked up two towels from a pile in her closet.

"That's alright. I just need one, thanks." said Hermione taking a towel and walking into the bathroom. Ginny was returning the second towel to the closet and then gasped at what she saw lying on top of the remaining pile. "This is just what I've been looking for!" she said aloud. "Happy Birthday Harry!"

Ginny decided to take a bath right after Hermione, and the two went downstairs for dinner a short while after. "I know what to give him now," Ginny whispered as they approached the dinner table.

"Really?" Hermione exclaimed and then saw that everyone was looking at her. "Tell me about it, later," she whispered back. She found a seat next to Harry.

Ginny sat on the other side of Harry. She was more confident that she didn't have to sit across from him. Instead she was sitting across from Ron who of course made her want to have more staring contests with him instead of talk to him. Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Lupin were at the table as well, and Ginny realized she hadn't seen them all day. They were most likely dealing with Order business.

"I'm so glad you all showed up for--um" Ginny said and looked down at the unfamiliar food on the table, "Mum, what is this?"

"Tacos!" Mrs. Weasley said gleefully, and held up a book that was titled, Mexican Magic. "Harry brought it for me after his trip!"

"Okay, then I'm glad you're all here for Taco night, I think," she said hesitantly. "I hope you enjoy--"

"I'm _way ahead of you there!" Ron chimed in, already on his fifth taco. Ginny was uncertain over eating the exotic dinner, but she enjoyed it nonetheless._

Conversation was dull, except Tonks and Lupin had an argument over which types of cauldrons were best. Ginny reached over for more chopped tomatoes, and she saw Harry's hand guided toward the same thing. She moved her hand away quickly to avoid a tacky moment. _Save it for the wedding, she thought and laughed at herself._

"It's not funny, Ginny! Steel cauldrons have very narrow handles!" said Tonks, assuming that Ginny was giving Tonks her undivided attention.

"The handles are just fine!" Lupin disagreed. Hermione was giving Ron never-ending study tips.

"Then how do I keep from falling asleep?" he asked.

"Just _try to find interest." She responded._

"Right, I certainly found it _engaging that in 1832, they halted the employment of leprechauns at Gringotts," Ron retorted sarcastically._

"See, you get it already!" said Hermione. "Now, after dinner, I want you to look over your old History of Magic notes and try to find interest."

"You think I'm going to take an order from you?"

"Ron!"

"Yes, ma'am," he said dryly. Ginny giggled at the fact that Hermione can change his mind over so many things. Too bad S.P.E.W. wasn't working so well.

Harry didn't say anything to Ginny the whole time, but he did pick up a fork when she dropped it. When people were done eating and talking, they started to leave the table. Harry stood up. "Ginny," he said and she looked up at him. "You smell nice."

Ginny blushed as he walked away. She was confused, but she chose a floral-scented bath for a reason. By the time, she stood up, Hermione came over to her to talk privately.

"Do you think it would be okay if we went into the attic?" Hermione whispered. She had an eager expression on her face.

Ginny grinned. "I thought you didn't _approve_ of it."

"Well, okay, I'm throwing all my morals out the window—just for tonight!"


	26. uh oh spaghettios!

****

A/N: Hey, guys! Check out my new fic! It's about Snape and the Marauders. Click on my profile mc-swirl-girl, and it will be under there!

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 26

"They have to be here somewhere!" Ginny exclaimed, rummaging through many drawers and crevices in her room. "Why can I never find my stuff?"

"Did you check your knapsack?" Hermione asked. The two were searching for the Transpectacles and Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition.

"Yes!" Ginny replied and kicked a box over after she didn't find what she was looking for in it.

"Well, it's not a big deal. I just wanted to see if Ron was going to look over old History of Magic notes like I told him to," said Hermione.

Ginny felt like laughing at that statement, but she was still too anxious over the 'spying' equipment. "Harry was acting a little different tonight. I want to know what he says about me."

"Ginny, he was probably tired from working all day," Hermione said earnestly.

"Maybe he's not! Just help me find the things!" Ginny yelled. She felt selfish and immature, but she couldn't figure out why she was so eager to hear what Harry and Ron were conversing about. She let that thought go as she hunted through her old school bag.

"You might have left them in the attic last time we were up there," Hermione stated.

Ginny stopped rummaging and looked up. "That's right! Let's go now!"

The two girls made their way towards the attic. Crookshanks was outside Ron's door, mildly growling, but he was ignored by Hermione and Ginny.

Ginny looked around the attic and couldn't find the newer Extendable Ears and Transpectacles. Hermione could tell they weren't there as well.

"They're not in here," she said, picking up a few objects from the ground that could have been blocking the wanted items.

"But they have to be!" Ginny replied. She was then worried about what the twins would think about her losing their prototypes. 

"Unless someone stole them," Hermione said with a suspicious look on her face.

"The ghoul!" Ginny exclaimed with anger.

"Is the ghoul still in here?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think so," Ginny replied with concern. It occurred to her that she hadn't heard any noise from the ghoul the last time she'd been in there. For some reason, it worried her that the ghoul wasn't responding to anything they were saying.

"We're not going to find anything in here," Hermione stated, "but I brought these incase." She held up a pair of flesh-colored strings, but they had no funnel attached to them.

"Those won't work," said Ginny. "Mum jinxed all the old ones. It's hopeless."

"I don't know what to tell you, Gin, but maybe this means you shouldn't spy on Harry and Ron anymore," Hermione advised.

Ginny heaved a downcast sigh. It was no help to debate with Hermione, and it was time to take a deep breath and calm down. "You're right. Let's just go. Maybe we can hang out with Ron and Harry in their room."

The two girls made their way down the staircase and through the door. Ginny knocked on the door next to it. There was no answer, but she knocked again. "Hey! It's me and Hermione!" Again, they heard no one answer. "Are in in your underwear or something?"

The door opened and stood a red-faced Ron glaring at the two girls sternly. "What do you want?"

"We just wanted to mix with you guys. Don't give me that attitude. Holy Cripes," Ginny replied and let herself in through the doorway. She saw Harry sitting on a chair, but he looked as if he had his attention focused on a Quidditch magazine he was reading.

"Aren't you one to have an attitude?" said Ron.

"Um, Ron, so how are you going with the studying?" Hermione asked with an obvious attempt to make peace.

"I haven't started," he simply replied. "So are you going to be here for long because it seems to me that you might want to continue looking for something."

Hermione and Ginny exchanged nervous glances. Ginny wasn't sure what he meant since it wouldn't have occurred to her that Ron would know anything about snooping in the attic.

"I beg your pardon?" said Ginny.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. Look!" He picked some items off his bed and they turned out to be the Transpectacles and Extendable Ears: Deluxe Edition.

Ginny's jaw dropped. She glanced at Harry as he put the magazine down. He didn't say anything, but he looked very disappointed. "Where-Where did you get those?!" she demanded.

"It doesn't matter where I got them!" Ron yelled. "So is that what you've been doing in the attic? Spying on Harry and I? I can't believe you got into this!"

"Ron, calm down," Hermione said softly. She was on the verge of crying.

"You too! I can't believe that Ginny would put you up to spying on your friends! You think you're Miss Perfect with her Prefect responsibilities! You've really denied yourself this time, Hermione!" he shouted.

Tears started to come down Hermione's face. "I really didn't think it would do much harm, Ron," she cried weakly, and left the room.

Ginny started to hurt for her. "Ron, that was very unnecessary!" she said. "Okay! I admit it! I spied on you! It was my fault for getting into this mess! Please don't take it out on Hermione. She was against it all before I convinced her that it was okay!" 

"Don't start pointing your finger at me until you've figured out that you aren't so great yourself!" he replied. "Now, just go. I don't want to talk to you or see you anymore!"

Ginny didn't say anything, but she left the room anyway. She was so angry at Ron for accusing her and Hermione for what they've done even if it was the truth. She then began to worry about how he found out about everything. He must of found the Extendable Ears and Transpectacles in the attic, and then used them while Ginny and Hermione were in there looking for them. Harry and Ron must have heard everything they said. _But what is so wrong about me spying on them when they were planning to snoop around themselves and find out what Fred, George and I were up to? Ron and Harry would have done the same thing we did if they could get their hands on the right equipment_, she thought.

Ginny made it to her bedroom and found Hermione weeping in there. Ginny was rather angry than sad about the turn-out of what happened, but she felt a great deal of remorse for her friend. "I'm really sorry," was all that could escape her lips.

"D-Don't be."

"It really is my fault. Ron shouldn't have bitten your head off like that. He didn't know what he was saying."

"Ginny, I-I don't r-regret anything. I do like to st-stick to the rules, b-but like everyone, I'm not--" she started to bawl even more, "Puh-_Perfect_."

"Please, don't be so sad about it! Let's just go to sleep early. You'll feel better in the morning, and we can talk to Ron," Ginny suggested.

"What about Harry?" she asked.

Ginny chose not to respond to that as hearing Harry's name worried her. Instead, she said, "How about you just sleep in my bed tonight instead of the hard floor. It's very comfortable and you'll feel better!"


	27. Princesses

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Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 27

Ginny wasn't used to the hard floor on her back so it was difficult for her to fall asleep. All the thoughts running through her head seemed to have made a difference as well. She looked at her watch and realized it was midnight, but she hadn't gone to sleep yet. She wasn't sure if Hermione was having the same problem.

"Hermione, are you awake?" she asked, but there was no answer. "Of course you're not. You stole my big comfy bed!" Hermione rolled over and Ginny feared that she might have woken up and heard her, but Hermione let out a snore and appeared to still be in slumber. Ginny sighed in relief. She wasn't as shaken up as she was the moment Ron confronted her, but she still couldn't let go of what happened. Damage was done, and she had to do something to fix it. 

"I hope Harry doesn't hate me," she said aloud, but then the notion finally got to her head. She thought, _what if he does? _She then sat straight up. There was no way she could possibly go to sleep at that moment. He did look upset when she saw him in Ron's room, but she didn't think much of it for some reason--possibly because she was so angry with Ron. 

Ginny left the room to get some water to drink. "He'll get over it. Won't he?" she said to herself as she made it to the glasses cabinet in the kitchen. It was pitch dark in there except a very small candle was lit at the end of the room--which projected very minimal light. She heard a noise, and there was no doubt that someone else was accompanying her. "Who's that? Who's there?" she demanded, though she hoped it was Mrs. Weasley to comfort her. Not that she would tell her mum what was happening, but maybe being advised to not be up so late would help her fall asleep.

No one answered Ginny's question, but she could tell who the person was once his face was lit under the small amount of light in the room. Harry was staring back at her while she closed the cabinet. "Oh, hi, Harry. You couldn't sleep either?" she asked with a slight amount of uneasiness in her voice. He didn't say anything as he opened another cabinet to rummage through snacks. "Um, what's the matter?"

"Wow, what a question!" he finally said. "_What's the matter?_" he echoed. "You can't just think that you can wait a couple hours before everything is _okay_ between us again."

That really hit her hard. "I'm-I'm sorry," she faintly replied. There wasn't much more for her to say to defend herself. It wasn't like having a contest with Ron over who's right and who's wrong. Harry's opinion mattered to her much more. 

Harry gave a infuriated sigh as he didn't find anything he wanted in the cabinet of food. He began to face Ginny again. "Ginny! It's going to take a lot more than saying your sorry!" He slammed the cabinet door which made a loud echo through-out the kitchen.

"I'm sorry!" she said again, only with more emphasis. She then started to defend her case as a tear went down her apple-red cheek. "I-I didn't think it would end up like this! I didn't mean to make you upset!"

"Then what did you do it? Do you not understand how important privacy can be to a person?!" he exclaimed. His facial expression under the candle light made him look very tense and agitated as well as hurt and betrayed.

"I did it because I wanted to see _you_!" she exclaimed and wailed. The words just came out of her mouth without thinking, and she knew there would have to loads of further explanation, but she didn't want to give everything away. "There was no other way!"

Harry's expression cascaded from his face, but he still remained as stern. "I'm not sure where you're going at, but tell it to me when you've grown up."

"Harry!" she wept softly, but he left the kitchen area without responding. As she was worried about what Harry was thinking about what she did, she didn't think it would result with him scowling at her. _He'll never get over this_, she thought. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, but continued crying. At the right moment, Fred and George apparated into the kitchen.

"Lumos," Fred said softly and a greater amount of light shone from the tip of his wand.

"Ginny," said George, "we heard it all."

"Oh, no, please tell me that you're the only ones who heard us," Ginny replied with her face buried in her palms.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure everyone else is out cold. We're up late working on some new gags," Fred replied. Ginny wanted to be left alone, but having the twins there were giving her some sort of comfort.

"We know everything that happened, too," George said.

Ginny didn't need to ask them how they knew everything that had happened. They were Fred and George. Fred and George had their ways. She was used to that.

"He hates me," she said. The twins didn't say anything, but Fred had Lola apparate onto Ginny's lap. "Thanks," she said with a stuffy nose.

"I think it will just take time for everything to be back to normal," George said.

"I wish there was something we could do," Fred said.

Ginny then remembered that they took part in the same ring. She started to get angered over how Fred and George were acting innocent. "You know, it's not really my fault to begin with. Both of you got me into this mess!"

Fred and George looked at each other nervously, but Fred spoke up. "We wanted to help you."

"Yeah, we knew you wanted to see him. We were trying to be supportive older brothers!" George added.

Ginny didn't speak too quickly. She did appreciate all they've done for her at the time, but at the moment she was looking for someone to blame. All the moments she shared with them when they were getting her to spy on Harry and Ron in the attic were going through her head, but she stopped when she remembered the day Harry arrived. 

It was when the boil appeared on her nose that morning, and Mrs. Weasley gave her an antidote. She told her that it would go away in three days, but then Ginny later found out that it went away after three hours. 

"Do you remember when you were sneaking me into the attic for the first time?" she asked the twins. 

"Yeah, when Harry was acting really funny after he had those funny sugar quills?" Fred replied.

"Why didn't you tell me that my boil was gone?" Ginny demanded with a stern accusation. Fred and George glanced at each other with identical expressions. She knew that it was past three hours when she saw Harry on the way to the attic.

"We--well _I_ didn't really notice," George answered. "Fred?"

"I didn't notice anything either!" Fred claimed.

"You both are lying!" Ginny exclaimed and Lola jumped off her lap onto the floor. "You just wanted to use me again as your guinea pig!"

"No, it's not like that, Gin!" George responded. He came closer to Ginny, but she backed away.

"Ginny! We weren't meaning for anything like this to happen!" Fred added. 

"Just leave me alone!" she screamed. She looked for the closest way to escape from the room, and went towards the doors that lead into the garden. She sat on her favorite orange lawn chair and wept under the moonlight. Maybe she was going through some typical teenage drama and all she needed was rest to feel better, but she felt so sure that anything that she and Harry had was gone. Even if they could start over again, she felt as if they wouldn't go beyond "just friends". 

As she calmed down to a few whimpers, something caught her eye. It was partially hidden by grass underneath the chair. "My diary," she said to herself. She had forgotten that she left it there last time she wrote in it. More tears started coming of her eyes. It's not that she was worried about anyone reading it--she found out about a spell that would only let it open to the touch of her own hands.

She was scared to open her diary because she of what she would find on the last page--her letter to Harry. She felt that it would break her heart even more to read it as she knew that her dreams for her to be together with him would never come true and he would never see the letter.

There was a feeling inside of her that made her want to look in and read what she wrote. She couldn't help herself from doing it, but she opened her diary and gingerly turned through each and every page in it. She's had that diary since she was a young girl and skimmed through several different entries.

There was one from when she was 7 years old:

__

Ron spilld some soup on the table today and when Mum walkd in the room, he blamed it on me! I ca'nt beleive he did that! It was his turn to danome the graden tooo but she made me do it insted and I got a bit from one and it hurts realy bad! Princesses should not be treated this way! I wish my knight would come!

Ginny flipped through several more pages and spotted one from when she was 9 years old:

__

I sent a letter to somebody a long time ago, but I can't tell you who it is for. Okay, I'll give you a clue--his name starts with a "H". I don't think he will write to me back because Errol is a very old owl, and I think sometimes he loses the posts.

Ginny wanted to smile at that one because she was so young and innocent, but at the same time, another tear escaped from her eye. She found another diary entry that had her let out even more tears:

I'm going to Hogwarts in a few months. I've heard about it all my life from Mum and Dad and my brothers. I hope I'll like it. I'm really happy to be with Ron, Percy, Fred, and George. I don't think I'd even want to go if they weren't there. I also hope I get into Gryffindor because everyone in the family was in Gryffindor. I know I'll make some new friends if I was in Ravenclaw or something, but Harry is in the Gryffindor house. I really want to see him and be his friend. I like him a lot. Well, I don't really know him, but I know a lot about him. Ron and him are good friends too so I know I'll be good friends with him. I'm really excited about that now.

Ginny tried to not think about that one and flipped through many more pages in the book. She eventually got to the last page, and waited a few moments to barely glance at it. She read the whole letter, and just couldn't bare to read it again. She still wanted to keep her diary, but having that letter in there made it tainted. "I can't take this anymore," she said and ripped the page out of the diary. She crumbled it into a ball and tossed it into a nearby waste-basket. 

Ginny sighed and lied on the chair. She tried hard to focus on things other then Harry and the mess she was in. She then felt sorry about how she treated the twins. They weren't very innocent of the situation, but they didn't do enough harm for her to treat them like she did. She finally became tired and fell asleep.


	28. Blame it on the Rain

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A/N: I got more reviews! Woo! Only review if you want to, whether you like it….or not--_you monsters_…but keep on reading!

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 28

Ginny didn't have any dreams before she woke-up late in the morning. She felt quite groggy, but was conscious enough to avoid going though the doors into the kitchen.

She sighed and then contemplated about climbing up the tree to her bedroom windows, but then declined after she remembered attempting to do it when she was younger and suffering from a broken ankle.

"I'll just go through the front doors," she said to herself, and then thought, _hopefully no one will notice me_.

Ginny was most fortunate to get past the main room and up the staircase to her bedroom without anyone seeing her. Mrs. Weasley would have had a fit if she found out that Ginny was outside all night and she definitely didn't want to run into Harry. She wasn't surprised to find Hermione in her room, but she wasn't expecting Tonks to be there as well.

"Um, hi, you two," Ginny simply said. Tonks was sitting in a chair playing with a Muggle yo-yo.

"Oh, hi! What's up?" Hermione said cheerfully, who was flicking through one of her new books--_The Rest of the Runes_.

"Wotcher, Ginny! I hope you don't mind me being here--" Tonks was saying. Her hair was in a black bob-style and with short bangs.

"No, it's quite alright! It's nice to have some company," Ginny interrupted.

"Well, Hermione needed to talk to me about something, and it was concerning you," Tonks finished.

"Concerning me? What was concerning me?" Ginny asked and looked at Hermione. She felt sure that neither of the two knew what happened the night before with Harry, but she was meaning to tell Hermione about it, and only Hermione. Though, she wasn't against letting Tonks know about the situation. After all, Tonks was a mature friend who wasn't too old to understand what Ginny must have been going through.

"Well, it started this morning when I was trying to talk to Ron about what happened last night. I really wanted to explain things to him--without letting him know everything of course," Hermione began to clarify. "I couldn't find him or Harry so I figured they were both asleep, but I found Tonks in the kitchen sipping her coffee, and we somehow got into conversation."

"So she told me everything that had been going on," said Tonks. "Please don't be steamed. I sort of brought it up because I heard your conversation with Harry and the twins late last night."

"Really?" Ginny responded. "I hope no one else did!"

"Don't worry, I was sort of in the room next door. Everyone else was upstairs. They wouldn't have been able to hear you since Lupin brought a box of wine to dinner," Tonks explained. Ginny was relieved once again.

"Well, I don't mind if you know everything that has been going on. I like you, Tonks," said Ginny, and Tonks smiled. 

"So what ended up happening with you two?" she asked.

"Well, since you heard it all, that was what happened. I really didn't see it coming either," Ginny answered casually. Tonks added some ease to her. "And then I argued with Fred and George and then went to the garden and fell asleep there."

"Wow, you fell asleep in the garden?" Hermione asked. "I thought you were in here the whole time."

"I couldn't go to sleep last night so I went to the kitchen for a drink of water and Harry was there, and you know the rest," Ginny explained. "I felt so horrible last night. I basically cried myself to sleep."

Hermione's lip trembled for a second. "I'm so sorry, Ginny!" She got up closer to her for a hug.

"It's alright. I'll deal with it," Ginny said and looked down and sighed. Since she didn't have any dreams the last night, when she woke-up she thought that the fight with Harry might have been a dream, but then realty crawled into her mind and she knew the incident did take place.

"That's going to be real tough, Gin," said Tonks. "And let me tell you, I would know."

Ginny brightened up to the fact that Tonks might have gone through the same issues she did. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, what happened to you, Tonks?" Hermione asked.

"My heart was broken several times while I was at Hogwarts," said Tonks who put down her yo-yo. "The worst one was with David Sanders. I was going to the Yule Ball with him until his ex-girlfriend needed a date at the last minute. So I had to go alone."

"That's unbelievable!" Hermione exclaimed and Ginny nodded.

"I really liked him too. He always shared his cauldron with me during Potions."

"So how did you get over him?" Ginny asked. She was hoping for some advice.

"I got myself a new boyfriend," Tonks merely answered.

"Yeah I did that too," said Ginny. "That's why I went out with Michael Corner since Harry liked Cho and all."

"What about Dean Thomas?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, right," Ginny answered. She hadn't thought about Dean for as long as Harry has been at the Burrow. "I think I went out with him for the same reasons. I don't think it would really matter for me to break up with him now since Harry is mad at me."

"Okay, Harry might still be angry at you, but you shouldn't try to get over him just yet," said Tonks. "You just had a fight. That's typical in most relationships, plus he and Ron have misunderstood both of you. They need to give you time to explain everything--even if it means explaining _everything_."

"Harry and Ron don't want to talk to me," Ginny said. "Maybe Hermione can talk to them, but they'll just say that I fooled her into spying on them for my 'selfish and demeaning' ways." 

"Better that then nothing at all," Hermione chimed in. "And I'm sure they do want to talk to you. Harry at least. He's just upset and he doesn't want to let you think that what you did--or what we did was right."

"But how do you know? Harry just hates me," Ginny demanded. She started getting uneasy. 

Tonks and Hermione exchanged glances with each other. "Harry cannot hate you, Gin," said Tonks.

"That's right. I've had fights and arguments with him and Ron. And remember when he and Ron weren't speaking? We're all still good friends, and I'm confident that they will get over what happened and move on." Hermione said.

"It takes such a long time to get over someone. Harry's not over you," said Tonks.

"Well, what makes you think he was um, _under_ me?" Ginny asked. 

"I don't think there are words to show it, but he cares _so_ much about you," Tonks answered. "He never told me anything, but it's just something people can tell. And you might be the only person who doesn't think Harry likes you."

"I agree. You just have to give it some time, Ginny. In a few years, you both will be laughing about it," Hermione advised.

Ginny sighed. "I just don't know what's the best way to handle it now." She felt better over what Tonks and Hermione had just told her, but she couldn't get the fact straight through her head that Harry really cared about her. He sounded very upset the night before.

The day grew longer and Ginny didn't feel like leaving her room. Tonks left at some point. Hermione left a little later to see if she could talk to Ron or Harry. Ginny was laying on her bed and peeking out of her window to see Harry and Ron working on Quidditch moves. They had stopped after it began to rain, and Hermione came in awhile later.

"I talked to Ron, but it wasn't for long," she said as she closed the door. 

Ginny sat up straight. "What did he say? Was Harry there?" she asked eagerly.

"Harry was with him, but he wasn't talking," Hermione began to explain. "I caught them while they were drying off by the fireplace. And I tried to explain a lot of things to Ron--without giving too much away of course. He's forgiven me, and I guess Harry has too. But Ron thinks that you're really good at convincing people to do things they would never do on their own."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I did," said Ginny in a not-so-serious tone.

"Well, it's kind of true. I refused to snoop on them, but you got me to."

"That's because I got you to understand why I wanted to do it," Ginny answered. She lied down on her bed again. "So they've forgiven you, but they still hate _me_, right?"

"Ginny, they don't hate you. Harry seemed to be a lot more depressed then angry," Hermione responded.

"Depressed?" Ginny exclaimed and sat straight back up. The thought of Harry being depressed made her heart fall to a million pieces.

"Not really depressed. He was just so down. I think you should go talk to him yourself. And if he refuses to hear what you have to say, then you should really be extra pushy," Hermione advised.

"I just don't feel so right about talking to him now. I'm scared of saying the wrong thing," Ginny responded. She actually didn't plan on talking to him at all. She had no idea what to ever say to him.

"Well, I'll help you there then. I've made up with Ron and Harry. I'll try figure out some way for them to be softer on you. Don't worry," said Hermione.

The rain started to pour through-out the day and the evening. Ginny hadn't eaten anything until dinner. She chose to sit farthest away from where Harry and Ron were sitting. Hermione was sitting with them. The people seated around Ginny were her parents, Moody, and Bill who had a dreadfully monotonous conversation about flobberworms. The twins were at the table as well and she decided to apologize to them after they ate.

"Well, that was the most boring conversation I've ever heard," she said to them. None of the two said anything until she spoke again. "Listen, I'm sorry for biting your heads off like that last night."

"It's alright. We kind of deserved it," Fred answered.

"Yeah, we should really grow up," George added.

"No, just go along being who you are. Maybe you should have been a little bit more honest with me, but I know you were both having fun. And I know you were trying to help me with Harry so I say 'Thanks' for that," she said. It felt great to finally get _something_ out of her system.

"Alright. Well, I say that we should just forget everything that happened, and think of more happy times," Fred suggested.

"Right, like the time that Percy's hair turned purple after we switched his shampoo," George agreed.

Ginny laughed as that memory went through her mind. Fred and George got her to be the distraction by asking Percy questions about how to be selected as a Prefect. Whatever was going on in her life, she felt better about it, but she was still very worried over what will happen between Harry and her. She managed to sneak a few glances at Harry during dinner and he looked very unhappy. He did not even speak at all. 

As she was sitting in her room while the rain continued to pour, she wrote in her diary again. She didn't regret throwing away that last letter, but she wanted to write a new one. It wasn't a real letter, but more of a note:

__

Harry, whatever I did to you, I did not mean to cause harm. I really wanted to see you, but I couldn't for certain reasons. I hope that someday you will forgive me, and maybe even get to read this. 

Love,

Ginny

==========================

A/N: Ooh another Author's note, eh? SeleneA suggested that I change the name of the story. Actually I've been thinking about it. The story was supposed to be a lot more humorous, but it didn't turn out that way I guess. Anyway, I've been trying to think of a good name. Probably something with "Summer" in it. 

Oh, and some of you have figured out the significance of the Ginny throwing the letter in the bin. Hey! Shut-up! Lol I'll try to be a little more creative on that note ;)


	29. How rude

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A/N: Awwight! I changed the name of the story to _The Auralillian Summer_. I know it's kind of weird, but I like it ;)

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 29

Ginny wrote about everything that happened during the past few days in her diary. She was lying still on her bed afterwards, not really thinking about anything, as if she was waiting to fall asleep. It was too early to go to bed, but she had nothing else to do. Hermione was not in the room as she was probably spending time with Ron and Harry, trying to patch more things up.

"I really want to see Harry," Ginny said to herself. _Now, I know I shouldn't give up on him, _she thought. _I won't do that again. _She really couldn't stand it that he was still so upset with her. "I have to talk to him," she spoke again. It wouldn't have been a wise idea to knock on Ron's door. It would have been too overwhelming with Ron there as well. She needed to be alone with Harry. "I'll just stay in the kitchen and hope for the best."

She left her room and descended down the numerous steps and halted in the middle of the last staircase to see Hermione, Harry, and Ron sitting at the kitchen table. They were polishing silverware. Harry's and Ron's backs were facing her, but Hermione was sitting opposite of them and would have been able to catch sight of Ginny. 

"Why do we have to do this at the last minute?" Ron said aloud, polishing a spoon with a shimmering rag. 

"Because your Mum said that many people are coming over tomorrow night and she forgot until now that the silverware hasn't been polished in ages," Hermione answered nonchalantly.

"And why do we have to do this all by hand?" asked Harry in a quiet and low voice.

"Because sometimes it's better to do things the Muggle way, plus we're underage wizards," Hermione answered again in the same relaxed tone. "At least we have magic in the towels." 

It seemed as if they had nothing to discuss so they kept asking questions they already knew the answers to. Just then, Hermione caught Ginny's eye.

"Oh, Ron, I need to show you something! Today I saw something in the fireplace," she said urgently and stood up from her seat.

"Not now, I'm giving these forks my all," he said back.

"No, it might go away!" she said with her voice slightly raised.

"What about Harr--" Ron started to say, but Hermione pulled him out of his seat, and lead him to the next room.

"Harry won't understand, plus he's a better polisher than you are," she said, and Ginny noticed how their voices began to fade away. 

She got what she wanted--to be alone with Harry. It was the perfect opportunity, except that she turned to walk back up the stairs because she felt very awkward to walk in when Harry had suddenly been left alone. _I'll just talk to him tomorrow_, she thought. _It's his birthday. He'll feel better on his birthday--oh, no! It's his birthday!_

After taking a few steps up, she ran into Mrs. Weasley. "Oh, Ginny! I'm glad you're awake," she said aloud. "I need you to go back downstairs to sprout the fruit."

"Oh, Mum! Sprout the fruit? Why me?" she whined. Sprouting the fruit was Ginny's most hated chore, but it did give her an excuse to be in the same room with Harry. Her whining about doing the task was just routine for her.

The Weasleys grew their own produce naturally, but there were special wizarding fruit seeds that could be planted in dirt and be grown in a matter of seconds. The fruit would turn out perfectly and taste better than anything naturally grown. So they would sprout the fruit every once in awhile for special occasions. The task wasn't hard work, but it was boring.

"Ginny, your brothers always make a mess, and I have to pot some flowers, so please do this just one more time," Mrs. Weasley said firmly. "The tray of dirt and things are on the counter."

Ginny sighed. "Alright," she said and headed back down to the kitchen. She eyed Harry as he seemed overly focused on the ladle he was polishing. She picked up a long white tray full of dirt and a spray bottle, and sat on the other side of the table. She wasn't sitting across from him, but she was close enough to have a normal conversation with him. 

"You missed a spot," she said as she was putting on a pair of large goggles.

"I know what I'm doing," he answered in a firm tone, still staring at the current job he was giving to a knife. "I've polished silver before."

Ginny gave a small scoff and glared at Harry, but she didn't say anything back. "Now, how do I do this again?" she said aloud which wasn't directed towards him. "Oh, right, the spray can," she said and picked it up.

"You sure talk to yourself a lot," Harry spoke. "People will think you're mad."

"Maybe I am," Ginny retorted, and started spraying areas of the dirt. Harry didn't answer as he began to work on the serving trays. Some bananas and oranges started to sprout, but they were still small and ripe. "No apples yet? But they're usually the first," she continued to talk out loud in spite of Harry, and then sprayed some more liquid on the tray. "Oh, here come the grapes!"

"Are you doing this to irritate me?" Harry demanded. He did seem annoyed, but it didn't matter to Ginny since he was rude to her in the first place.

"No, Mum asked me to do it," she simply answered. "I can't just disobey Mum. The rules, you know!"

"I'm sure she didn't order you to distract Harry from doing his job," he said in third person, and finally looked at her. The look in his eyes weren't the same as she was used to as he looked at her very sternly. It saddened her, but she acted to him as if she was care-free.

"I thought that we settled on the fact that I'm mad," she said, and continued to spray the tray. "Finally the apples!" she exclaimed.

"I see that the fruit is growing, but you're not," Harry sneered, and Ginny glared at him again.

"Oops, I missed," she said after she pointed her spray can at the table-top and a small blue spot appeared on it. "See, you're making me lose my focus, Harold."

Harry looked up again, "My name's not Harold, it's--Ahhh!"

"Oops, I missed again!" she exclaimed after she shot Harry in the eye. 

Harry put his hand over his left eye. "Why did you do that?!" he demanded.

"Oh, Harold, it only stings for a second," she said coolly, and got back to spraying the fruit on the tray. "I see that the bananas are fully--hey!" she said as Harry ran his polishing rag down her arm which left a glimmering silver streak. "Well, that wasn't nice."

"Neither is spraying me in the eye with that stuff!" he said as he pointed to the bottle of fruit-sprouting fluid.

"That was an accident, Harold," she said, and observed her arm.

"No it wasn't!" he argued.

"Okay, maybe I meant to do it, but this thing on my arm won't come off for days," she answered and Harry looked at his reflection in a spoon.

"What about this?" he asked and put a finger to the area around his eye.

"That's going to take a week at the least," she said with a smirk.

Harry groaned, "Ginny," as he was finishing the last serving tray.

"What? It'll draw attention away from that scar of yours, right?" she said with another smirk.

Harry rolled his eyes and changed the subject with a slur. "You look really stupid with those goggles on."

"You're one to talk, _four eyes_," she replied almost immediately and Harry blinked twice. "That's right! Four eyes! And you shouldn't keep telling _me_ to grow up either after that last remark."

"You know something, Ginny, you're right," he said and walked over to her side of the table. "If I wasn't grown up, I wouldn't do this!" he exclaimed and wiped his rag on the side of her face which left a silver mark.

She screamed, "Harry!" and got up from her seat to pick up a silver tray, and saw in her reflection that the mark wasn't very big. She groaned anyway and sprayed another blue spot on Harry's chin.

"Ow! It BURNS!" he yelled as he grabbed his chin just before Ron and Hermione walked back into the kitchen.

"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, "I swear those wooden logs did look like they were glowing green!"

"They were not, and that one log did _not _look like the new Keeper for the Chudley Cannons!" he replied, and saw Harry run his towel down Ginny's hair, and she shrieked. "And what are you two _doing_?"

"My hair! Now, I have a silver streak in my hair!" she exclaimed.

"It suits you well," Harry said as Ginny kicked him in the ankle. "Argh!"

"Harry, did Ginny beat you up?" Ron demanded.

"No, she didn't beat me up!" Harry shouted as he grabbed his ankle.

"Harry, you got a black eye!" Hermione asserted. "You need some ice." Suddenly, Mrs. Weasley came into the room.

"What's all this noise?" she questioned. "Harry, what happened to your face? Do you want me to get you some cold meat for those bruises?"

"Ginny gave him a black eye. She beat him up!" Ron accused.

"Ginny didn't beat me up!" Harry insisted. Mrs. Weasley turned to Ginny. 

"Is this true?" she asked sternly.

"Not exactly," she merely responded. "But he was trying to polish me! See!" She motioned to her arm. "He's mad!"

"I'm not mad! She is!" said Harry as he pointed to Ginny. "And she didn't beat me up. She sprayed me with that fruit stuff!"

"Oh, Gin, that was very juvenile," Hermione stated with a disenchanted look.

"Ginny! I asked you to spray the fruit! I didn't ask you to fool around!" she snapped at her. 

"But Harry--" Ginny started.

"Don't blame your own faults on Harry!" she yelled. "And regarding the fruit, I'll finish what you started. Just go to bed, now!"

Ginny was speechless, but left the kitchen anyway. She was very angry with Mrs. Weasley punishing her, and Harry was left practically innocent.

She entered her room and slammed the door shut. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and realized that she didn't have the talk with Harry that she meant to have. "He still hates me. Ron still hates me. Mum is angry, and Hermione is disappointed," she said to herself. _Now, I know how Harry must have felt practically every year at Hogwarts._ "Why does everything always lead up to Harry?!"

Even though she wanted to make amends with him, she was aggravated. He was being rude to her so it was very hard for her to have a decent talk with him. "He just gets me so fired up sometimes."

The rain was still pouring when Hermione came in the room. "Hey, Ginny," she greeted feebly.

"Hey, what?" Ginny said haughtily. She rolled off her bed. "Do you still think I'm juvenile?"

"I thought you were going to talk to him, not turn his skin blue," she answered. 

"You know that I wasn't ready to talk to him yet, but then Mum made me sprout the fruit," she said, "and Harry was there, and he was being rude, so I wanted to be rude back. And now I have a silver streak in my hair."

"It'll all wash out," Hermione said. "But anyway, how many chances will you get to be alone with Harry?"

"I don't know. I can't change what's happened," Ginny responded with a downcast tone, "unless . . . do you still have that Timeturner?"

"No, and I think it's best for you to learn from your mistakes," Hermione answered firmly. The Timeturner was out of the question even if Hermione did still own one. Ginny didn't want to change the past anyway, unless it was for a life or death situation or if she was taking many classes.

Ginny yawned. "I'm about to pass out. I'll deal with whats-his-face tomorrow," she declared. The thunder was noisy but the two girls managed to get rest.


	30. Unstable Hermione

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 30

Ginny slept for a few hours, but a roll of thunder woke her up, and she couldn't get back to sleep as her thoughts about Harry started to invade her head again. "Hermione, are you awake?" she asked rather loudly.

"No," Hermione answered with a yawn. She was clearly in a half-conscious state. She yawned again and turned over.

"I'll just go back to sleep, then," Ginny said to herself. _If I can stop thinking of Harry, that is_, she thought. "I shouldn't have been so annoying. Maybe he would have taken me a bit more seriously." _Oh, well, tomorrow is a new day_. 

She changed positions and started to drift back to sleep until another raucous clap of thunder was heard. Ginny groaned a put a pillow over her head. The action didn't help, and she realized she would never get to sleep. "Rain, rain go away," she sang harshly, "come again, another day." _That didn't seem to work_, she thought. "Rain, rain go away!! Come again another day!!" she shouted, but was muffled by the pillow still covering her head. She then felt someone gently push her shoulder. "Hermione, we need our rest!" She removed the pillow from her face and then saw it was not Hermione.

"Ginny," said Harry who was standing over her with remorseful eyes.

Ginny sat up straight and ran her fingers through her disheveled tresses. "My, _you_ look needy," she responded coolly. "Why are you here?"

"I need to talk to you," he said and then glanced at the slumbering Hermione, "alone."

"She won't hear us, and if she does, she'll just think it was a dream or something," said Ginny. She was also shocked at why Harry picked this time of night to talk to her.

"Yeah, she's really thick when she's dozing," he answered, "but, I'd rather talk to you in private anyway."

"Alright," she said, "we can go in the bathroom. That's _kind_ of sound-proof." She attempted to get out of bed, but the covers got in her way and she fell--"Ahhh!"--straight to the floor. "I'm okay. I'm okay!" Being embarrassed in front of Harry was way past her. She was more focused on regaining his trust and friendship.

"Sure," Harry merely said and followed her to the bathroom. Ginny closed the door and Harry looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the correct words, and then finally spoke. "If you're wondering why I woke you up," he said, but looked around the bathroom with his eyes as if he was still trying to find words.

"Don't worry, I was already awake. Why did you have to talk to me so late though?"

There was another pause, but it didn't take too long for Harry to respond. "I, I just had to do it right now. I--"

But he was cut off as Ron opened the door and came into the bathroom. "I knew you'd be here Harry! Why are you talking to _her_?"

"Ron! Just get over it! I'm your sister!" Ginny shouted and her eyes started to tear up. It was like Ron to make her moods go from unruffled to agitated. She was also angry at the interruption of what Harry needed to say to her.

"It's not that simple, Ginny," he responded and then turned to Harry again. "Let's just go before she works her advantage on you too."

Ginny clenched her fists and looked at Ron with an aggravated expression. "You seem to be doing just that, Ron!" she yelled. Ron was about to respond as they heard a scream from Ginny's room.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. He tried to open the door leading to the room, but it was locked. They heard another scream and then some unfamiliar deep and raspy voices speaking a different language.

"Someone else is in there!" Ginny yelled, and Harry tried to open the other door leading to the hall.

"I think more than one other person is in there, and this door won't open!" said Harry.

"They're both locked! What are we going to do?!" Ron exclaimed. "Hermione!" He yelled again as he heard another scream.

"Leave me alone!" they heard Hermione yell. "Expecto Patronum!"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other with shocked expressions and widened eyes. Ron looked as if he was going to have a heart attack. 

"But they should be after me! Not Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. They then heard her again.

"Expecto Patronum! Expecto PATRONUM!" she kept on yelling. The three realized that the spell was probably not working. Ron was banging the door and trying to force it open, but it wouldn't budge. He then saw Ginny's wand on the counter and picked it up.

"You'll be expelled!" Ginny said in her most Hermione-like tone. She then stopped her attempt to argue as it was Hermione's life they had to save.

"Then I'll be expelled with Hermione--if she doesn't get kissed by one of those ugly dementers!"

"Expecto Patronum!" Hermione was heard crying again. Ginny heard some laughing in the room, but she ignored it as Ron was going to unlock the door.

"Alohomora!" Ron said quickly with a swish of the wand and turned the door-knob more forcefully than before and it opened. "Hermione!" 

Ginny entered her room with the other two and they saw two figures with black robes and hoods cornering Hermione. They turned around and Ginny could see their faces that appeared to be the kind of green aliens she saw in the films. She gasped but suddenly saw one of them grab his face and lift it off. It was Fred, and George took his mask off as well.

"It's just us!" Fred said.

"Hermione! We're not dementers!" George tried to explain.

Hermione was breathing heavily and looked frightened. "You-you're not?" she asked and put her wand down.

"What were you two doing?" Harry demanded. He looked as aggravated as Ginny was when Ron interrupted the conversation between Harry and her.

"We didn't think it would get in a big mess like this!" Fred claimed. "We were just trying to play a joke on Hermione and her unbelieving ways."

"I guess she was too out of state to realize that we were supposed to be aliens--not dementers!" George added.

"Maybe you should just think about your little jokes or tricks you do and what trouble they can cause! I'm sure Ron and Hermione's expulsion notes from Hogwarts are on their way!" Ginny cried.

"Oh, no!" Hermione began to weep. "I'm getting thrown out of Hogwarts!"

"I am too!" Ron asserted and looked at Fred and George as if he was about to pounce on them. Harry grabbed his arm incase he had to hold him back.

"Well, we're sorry! I'm sure we can give them a good enough explanation in court!" Fred exclaimed. He looked very repentant. 

Mr. Weasley entered the room right then. He looked exhausted. "What's all the trouble?"

"I'm getting expelled from Hogwarts!" Hermione cried.

"I am too!" Ron added. Mr. Weasley didn't look to worried.

"Are you sure it's not just a misunderstanding?" he asked.

"No, I'm sure they're going to come now and destroy my wand!" Hermione cried again and wept even louder. She held out her wand, and Ginny thought there was something very peculiar about it. 

"Let me see that," said Mr. Weasley and he examined the wand. "Is this one of your joke wands?" he asked Fred and George. Fred took the wand and ran his thumb over the inscription.

"WWW," he said, "Yes, this is one of ours."

"So I'm not expelled?" Hermione asked ad then wiped a tear from her eye. "Is that why I couldn't get my _Patronus_ to work?"

"Right, but you were probably a little unstable at the moment, as well," Mr. Weasley replied.

"What about me? I did the _Alohomora_ spell," said Ron. He handed the wand he used back to Ginny. 

"This is a 'Wheezes' wand, too!" Ginny exclaimed. "They made it to look just like my real wand!"

"So we didn't do any real magic? Oh, someone up there likes me!" Ron said happily and relieved.

"I think there was a little too much excitement tonight. Everyone should get there rest," Mr. Weasley announced.

"Alright," said Ron and the twins. They left the room with Mr. Weasley as Harry and Ginny read each other's minds as they both wanted to finish what they started.

"I'll see you in a second," Ginny said to Hermione and she nodded in response. Harry followed Ginny into the bathroom again.

"Anyway," he began, but the hall door opened and Mr. Weasley appeared.

"I thought I told you to get back to bed," he said sternly, and then turned to Harry. "And if I catch you snogging my daughter--"

"Dad!" Ginny exclaimed. She couldn't believe he would assume something like that. Harry looked rather uneasy.

Mr. Weasley chuckled. "I'll give you a second, but then go to sleep!" he said and then left the room.

"I guess I should talk to you tomorrow," Harry said.

"Yeah, that's okay," Ginny agreed. Harry left the room and she went back into her bedroom to find Hermione back to sleep. The recent events knocked Ginny out a little while later. 


	31. The Dungeon

****

A/N: I made up a spell. Thanks for all the awesome reviews!

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 31

Ginny found herself curled up on her side on a cold stone floor. She was gagged with a cloth and her wrists were bound together with a tight rope behind her back. Her ankles were also in the same state. She couldn't open her eyes, as well. She felt as if her body was lifeless, but her soul refused to leave it. Although, she still had breath and feeling. She could feel the iciness of the floor and the coldness in the air stung her nose. If Ginny could produce movement, she would be shivering and quivering at the least.

All else she was left to was her mind and her heart which was beating quite rapidly. _What is happening to me?_ Ginny could only think to herself, but not out loud like she was used to. _How did I get here? _She felt a tear fall down her left cheek. She suddenly became familiar with what was going about. She had no remembrance of what happened in the Chamber of Secrets four years previously, but very little of it was coming back to her. She remembered being half-conscious with no feeling. She also heard voices and could sense some sort of battle was in order. She knew she wasn't in the Chamber of Secrets again. _It's no more_, she then decided. _Voldemort would try something else like he always does. But why would he use me again?_

"Ginny!" she heard her name called. She tried to force her eyes open, but she could only let them release very narrowly. She knew it was Harry who said her name, but at that moment, she would give anything to see his face. "Do you hear me, Ginny?" he demanded with a crack in his voice. She felt his hand agitate her by the shoulder.

__

I do hear you, Harry! She wished she could speak, and not let him worry. Her eyes were opened slightly, but she couldn't see his face. She could see that he was kneeling on one knee.

Harry felt her pulse and he let out a breath of relief. He then untied the cloth around her mouth and un-roped her ankles and wrists. "You're not gone," he said, and held her by the waist over his knee, "but wake-up. Please wake-up!"

She saw his face through her barely open eyes. He was blurry, but she could tell from his gaze that he was in very much fear and anxiety. _I am awake! _She couldn't take not being able to move. She forced her right index finger to budge faintly. Harry noticed as he grabbed her hand.

"Did you just--Can you--Do you hear me?" Harry asked hastily. "Please do it again!" Ginny tried with her might to move her finger again. She concentrated very hard and breathed even more heavily, but she finally made a fist with her hand. She released her fist and did it again. "Gin--Ginny?" 

Ginny started to make a fist with her other hand. She was gaining back her will. She could finally curl her toes and open her eyes fully. She moved her lips slowly and attempted to speak. "Harry," she said with a faint whisper. She could move all parts of her body willingly. She was still sore so she couldn't stand up on her own, but she sat up straight. "Harry, I could hear you. I just couldn't move. I don't know what happened," Ginny said hoarsely as her voice wasn't fully active. 

"Ginny, listen, we have to get out of here!" Harry said even more hastily then before. He looked behind him at large double doors. 

"Why? What's wrong?" she demanded.

"I can explain later. We have to go now!" he responded quickly and stood up.

"But," she started to say, and then looked around and found that she was in some sort of dungeon. It was nothing like where Snape's classroom was located, but it had a much more frightening quality to it. She nodded with agreement instead of speaking, and tried to stand up on her own, but she fell on her knees. 

"Here," Harry said and took both of her hands to lift her back up. 

"Thanks," she said regaining her voice back. Harry linked his arm around hers so she could have support. They walked as fast as they could without Ginny stumbling toward the large doors. Ginny stopped and said, "Wait, Harry."

"What is it?" he asked. They were both right in front of the doors. She looked into his eyes, and didn't know what to say, but she leaned in closer to his face and kissed him on his lips as she put her hands around his neck. He kissed her in response. "Okay, let's go," he said when he pulled away after a few seconds.

"Alright," she said as she reached for one of the door handles, but stopped when she heard two loud cracks. Harry and Ginny turned around to see Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange quickly approaching them.

"There they are!" Malfoy pointed. He pulled his wand from his robes. Harry and Ginny simultaneously grabbed the door handles and tried to push open, but Malfoy yelled, "_Obfermostium_!" which caused numerous metal bars to block the doors.

"You get the girl! I'll take care of Potter!" Bellatrix ordered as she took out her own wand. 

"Imperio!" Malfoy canted nonchalantly as he aimed for Ginny, but Harry stepped in front of her just before the curse hit her. 

"Harry, no!" Ginny cried. Harry fell down on his knees, but he tried his best to oppose the spell as he struggled to get up again.

"Harry, bring me Weasley!" Malfoy directed with a smirk.

Harry grabbed Ginny by the shoulder and then let go. "Argh!" he yelled. He fell down on his knees and struggled again to get up. 

"Harry, please resist it! Resist the spell, Harry!" Ginny wept. Harry got up and attempted to grab her again to follow Malfoy's orders, but she got out of the way. "Harry!"

"Bring me the girl now, Potter!" Malfoy instructed again, but with much more frustration. Harry caught Ginny by both her arms and she gasped, but then he let go.

"NO! I WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE FOLLOWERS OF VOLDEMORT!" Harry screamed. He fully resisted the spell and it no longer had an effect on him as he found his own wand in the back pocket of his jeans. "_Tarantallegra_!" he cast, and the spell hit Malfoy which made him start dancing frantically.

"Oh, this is taking much too long! You had your fun, Lucius! It doesn't matter if they're dead or alive!" said Bellatrix impatiently. "_Avada Kedavra_!" she cast at Harry.

"HARRY!" Ginny cried. She saw him fall down on his knees again. 

Harry looked at her and faintly whispered, "Ginny," and he was gone.

That was her dream. A tear came down Ginny's cheek just before she opened her eyes and found out that what happened wasn't reality. She stayed in her bed until Hermione woke-up.

__


	32. Bottle Caps

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 32

It was morning, and Hermione woke-up a few minutes after Ginny did. Ginny wiped whatever moisture was on her face from the few tears she shed after she woke-up from her dream. She was debating whether to tell Hermione about the dream or not.

"Have a good rest?" Hermione asked as she stretched. She leapt onto her feet and approached the bathroom. She let the door open so she could still talk to Ginny.

"Sure, I guess," Ginny replied. She decided not to tell Hermione. She didn't feel like talking about it. Hermione would either fret about it or tell her that the dream didn't mean anything. Ginny did settle on writing about it in her diary later. "I mean, I slept okay after all the excitement last night."

"La' nigh'? Wha' essigh-meh?" Hermione asked with her mouth full of tooth-paste. She then spit it out into the sink. "I mean, what excitement from last night?"

Ginny smirked. "You honestly don't remember?" she asked.

Hermione was contemplating difficulty. "I think I had some sort of dream, but I don't recall what it was about."

"Do you remember any aliens attacking you?"

"Aliens?" Hermione said and laughed. "No, no aliens, but I do think there may have been some dementers."

"That wasn't a dream, Hermione," Ginny stated and giggled. "You were half-asleep when it happened."

Hermione seemed mystified at the comment. "What happened?"

"To make a long story short, Fred and George dressed up as aliens and tried to frighten you, but you mistook them as dementers. You used the Patronus spell too!" Ginny explained.

Hermione gasped and almost choked on her breath. "WHAT?!!"

"Oh, don't worry! The spell wasn't working and you were using one of the joke wands," Ginny said. 

"But-but, the Ministry might've found out that I _attempted_ to do magic! I'll be expelled! I'm already expelled! I know I am!" Hermione exclaimed and began to weep.

"No, if you have been expelled, they would've sent an owl hours ago," Ginny said and tried to settle her down by rubbing her shoulder.

Hermione calmed down and exhaled. "You're right, plus they couldn't kick me out of Hogwarts. I got top marks on all my O.W.L.'s."

"Ron would probably be less successful on that matter. He didn't do as well as you did on his scores. Oh, he attempted to do magic by the way."

"Ron was here?" Hermione demanded.

"Well, yeah, and Harry was too. We were in the bathroom, and we heard you screaming but the doors were jammed. Ron _Alohomora_'d it, but he used a fake wand, as well," Ginny explained.

"Oh, I see," Hermione answered merely and then paused. "Why were Harry and Ron here?"

"It's a long story. How about I start from the beginning?" Ginny proposed. She revised everything that occurred the night before to Hermione, but she still didn't tell her about her dream.

"Goodness, is Ron still being a jerk to you?" Hermione asked. "I wonder what Harry wanted to tell you. It probably wasn't anything bad, though."

"I hope not, but I really don't know," Ginny said. She then wanted to see Harry and make sure he was alive. She knew her dream wasn't real, but it felt like it could have come true. "Do you want to get some breakfast?"

"Sure, I could go for that," Hermione answered. Ginny was hungry as well, but she was going to the kitchen in hopes that Harry would be there as well.

The two girls made their way downstairs and greeted Mrs. Weasley as she was serving Harry and Ron at the table. Ginny tried to suppress a grin as she saw Harry. He didn't look at her since he was reading a book about giants.

"Well, if it isn't Miss I-Don't-Believe-in-Aliens," Ron said cleverly and then looked at Ginny, "and friend."

"I still don't think aliens are real, Ron. I thought they were dementers, plus I was half-asleep," Hermione answered and Mrs. Weasley served the girls bowls of porridge.

"Right, you keep on telling yourself that," Ron said with a smirk and a spoonful of porridge.

"Your father told me about what happened last night. That reminds me; two owls came in this morning," Mrs. Weasley said. She picked up two notes and gave them to Hermione and Ron.

Hermione opened hers and her jaw dropped. Ron read his and put it down and continued eating his food.

"I have to go to court next month!" Hermione exclaimed. "They found out that I endeavored underage magic!"

"I do, too," Ron said carelessly.

"Why are you acting like you don't care? We could get expelled for what happened last night!" Hermione yelled. She put her letter down and buried her face in her hands.

"Listen, you're one of Hogwarts's top students and my dad is becoming more and more respected in the Ministry of Magic. We didn't even do real magic. Nothing will happen to us," Ron explained tranquilly.

"You can't be so sure of that, Ron!" Hermione cried and accidentally slammed her hand down on the handle of the spoon in her bowl which sent it flying and almost hit Mrs. Weasley in the face.

"How about we go talk to Mr. Weasley right now?" Mrs. Weasley suggested. "He will make sure everything is being taken care of. Ron, you should come too. Your father's in the garden."

Ginny was thankful that the three left her alone with Harry. No one said anything to distract him from reading his Giant book until Ginny said, "So what did you need to tell me last night?"

Harry put down and closed his book. He looked up at Ginny and she saw his eyes. Suddenly, all the scenes from last night's dream were racing through her mind as if she was experiencing it all over again. It went from the kiss to the duel and finally to the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange canting _Avada Kedavra _and Ginny witnessing the death of Harry. 

"Ginny--" Harry began to say, but he was interrupted.

"Um, actually," she said as she was tugging the collar of her shirt. "I'm feeling quite ill." She stood up and headed towards the stairway. "I guess we can talk about it later."

She ascended the stairs quickly and tried to hold the tears until she made it to her bedroom. And when she did get there, Ginny burst out bawling on the floor. Harry didn't look peculiar or unordinary. He seemed like his normal self. Ginny just couldn't look at him and not think about the staggering end to her dream.

Her dreams never seemed to come true, but ever since she started dreaming of Harry every night that summer, she was becoming even more close with him--except for the fights they had about her snooping in the attic. He was starting to show signs of forgiveness, but it was the wrong time for her. 

"No, I can't be with him! It might happen! It might happen!" she cried into her pillow. Harry has been in one too many runs with Death Eaters and Voldemort. It was a great chance that he would be in several more, but how many times could he escape them without getting killed?

Ginny felt as if she caused his death in the dream. If she didn't stop them from escaping the dungeon, they may have made it out. The dream was probably not going to come true in its purest form, but it may have foreshadowed later events to take place. What if Ginny was a large risk in Harry's life? 

"I can't be with him. I just can't," she wept. She didn't want to give him up again, but she felt as if she must for an extra shield to his protection. 

After a while of weeping, she wiped her eyes and it occurred to her that it was Harry's birthday. It caused a couple more tears to shed. She couldn't ignore him on his birthday. She even had a gift for him. She let out a long breath and searched for his gift in her dresser drawer, but found something else. 

It was a wrapped box of what Harry got for her from his trip to Texas. At the time, she was too worried about the blemish on her nose that she forgot about it. Ginny sighed and gingerly unwrapped the red paper from the box. She opened the box and hit upon a black belt with soda bottle caps attached to it aligned one by one from end to end. She laughed as she thought about the mutual joke Harry and she had.

Luna Lovegood was a fine friend of hers, but she knew she was a bit on the odd side. Harry and Ginny used to joke about Luna's butterbeer cap necklaces. So Ginny knew why Harry brought her the belt. It made her smile, but it didn't take too long for her to frown because she was going to miss the wonderful times she and Harry would have had together.

Ginny finally found what she was looking for. It was the broken piece of wood she kept that was part of Harry's old Nimbus 2000. Fred and George made fun of her for keeping it, but she thought it would be a brilliant gift, especially since she attached a string of leather to it so it would be a necklace. It was more for the humor, but she also found it to be exceptionally thoughtful.

"I wish we could fly off to some island," she said to herself. It would never ensue, she knew, _but anything could happen_, she thought. 

All she could do was wish Harry a Happy Birthday and hope everything went well for that day. She wanted to be around for his birthday dinner, but she also wanted to avoid him as much as she could. She wanted to avoid everything around her in all actuality. Ginny wanted to get used to not thinking about Harry every minute of the day. 

She dropped the gift from Harry and left her room. She didn't want to see Harry or anyone else so she went to the attic. No one came in the attic anyway. She noticed that the ghoul hadn't hassled her the past few times. It appeared much more dark and atrabilious then before--mainly because the previous times were more exciting. It was also painful to be there because it was what put Harry and Ron in anger towards her in the first place. 

__

I should come here more often, she thought. _If thinking of Harry will bring back bad memories then maybe I'll stop._

****

A/N: I promise I'll write the next chapter soon! Sorry for taking so long with this one! *muah!*


	33. The Glass of Aperio

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 33

"How can I avoid him if I'm going to see him everyday for the next two years?" she asked out loud as she was alone in the attic. "Maybe I can transfer over to Hufflepuff or something. Dumbledore will understand. He understands every--OW!" Ginny yelped. She found the shoe that hit her in the head. "You stupid ghoul! I thought you were gone!"

"I thought _you_ were gone! After all, didn't you mess up everything between you and that Potter boy while you were in here?" the Ghoul shouted and then laughed.

"You better stop talking, you dumb ghoul! This attic doesn't belong to you!" Ginny yelled and threw the shoe back to where it came from, but it didn't seem to hit the Ghoul.

"It's more mine than yours, butterfingers!" the Ghoul yelled back.

"Listen, I don't want to fight! I can't be anywhere else but here right now. Please just leave me alone for once!" Ginny strongly requested. "I'm already in enough stress and heart break! Don't give me anything else!"

The Ghoul was quiet for some minutes, but it began to speak again. "What, is he still mad at you?"

"For your information . . . I don't know, but I have a feeling he's not. I just can't be with him! I can't even be friends with him anymore."

"Why not? You were totally crushing!" the Ghoul answered. Ginny was being annoyed by the Ghoul, but she didn't mind sharing her feelings for some reason.

"Well, yeah, but I can't look into his eyes without thinking horrible thoughts, and--why am I telling you this anyway?" She demanded. The Ghoul was quiet again and then began to speak again, but it wasn't the same voice Ginny was used to hearing.

"Ginny Wheezy," said the squeaky and high-pitched voice. "Yous can't give up on Harry Potter. He cares about yous a lot."

"What? What happened? Ghoul?" Ginny asked, flustered. "Who are you?"

"Winky! Winky has been pretending to be the Ghoul in your attic," she said and came from behind the crates and boxes. It was Winky the house-elf indeed with her tomato nose and her tea towel outfit.

"Winky? Why are you here?" Ginny demanded and saw that she was wearing a tea towel. "And are you employed?"

"Yes, by your brother Ron Wheezy. He didn't want anyone else to knows except his Harry Potter," she confessed. "And he ordered Winky to find out what yous and your Wheezy twins were doing in here. Winky didn't tell Wheezy anything, but she showed him and Mr. Harry Potter what Winky found in the attic."

"The Transpectacles and Extendable Ears," Ginny said. She didn't have much right to be angry at Winky for showing them the objects since she was employed by Ron. It wasn't much of a matter to her at the moment though. "And what happened to the Ghoul?"

"He has been in slumber for a long, long time. Dobby gave him a sleeping potion," Winky answered.

"Dobby is here, too?" Ginny asked. "Why would he be here?"

"Dobby wants to keep an eye on Harry Potter so he don't get hurt," Winky explained. "Winky thinks it's a very good idea. But Winky doesn't think it's a good idea that you want to stay away from Harry Potter."

Then, Ginny heard a loud _crack! _and Dobby the house-elf apparated out of thin air. "Dobby don't think it's a very good idea, either!" he said once he appeared. "Dobby wants to help Harry Potter with his social life, as well!"

"Dobby! How long have you been here?" Ginny demanded. He was wearing a familiar-looking sweater and several pairs of socks.

"Dobby has been in the attic for hours. Dobby has been in the house ever since Harry Potter arrived. No one knows that Dobby has been here except for you and Winky," Dobby answered. He snapped his fingers and a large mirror appeared and landed on the floor.

"Winky, Ron probably wouldn't have wanted you to reveal yourself in front of me. Wouldn't you be torturing yourself by now?" Ginny asked. She knew house-elves were very loyal to their masters.

"Winky figured that she was worth more than that. Winky gets paid too!" she answered.

"Well, Hermione will be happy," Ginny mumbled to herself.

"Dobby wants Ginny Wheezy to look through the glass of Aperio," he said and signaled to the mirror laying on the floor. 

"What's that for?" she asked.

"You can see and hear Harry Potter and his Wheezy through the glass of Aperio," Dobby explained. "Dobby wants you to know what they are doing and saying."

"No, I won't be doing that again. That got me in enough trouble," Ginny refused. Whatever caused Harry to have pain caused _her_ to have pain. She didn't want to be treacherous to him again.

"But yous must!" Winky exclaimed. "Harry Potter cares a lot about yous and yous got to sees it for yourself because yous won't believe Dobby and Winky."

"Winky is right," Dobby added.

"Alright, but just for a second." Ginny didn't want the house-elves to keep badgering her so she looked into the mirror and saw a clear view of Harry and Ron in their room. _Not much is going on_, she thought. She looked away and walked towards the door to go downstairs. "I think that's enough with you two."

"No, please, give it another looksie!" Winky insisted. 

"Yes, please, sister Wheezy!" exclaimed Dobby.

"No, I really don't feel right about--" Ginny started to argue until she heard her name being said through the glass. She got closer to it and saw that Harry and Ron were talking about her. "Okay, hold on a minute."

She looked in and Ron was polishing his Cleansweep and Harry was standing directly in front of him. Harry was holding a familiar looking crinkly piece of paper.

"What's with you and Ginny? I thought you agreed with me that she was another bad seed in the family," Ron demanded.

"Whatever she did, it's nothing compared to Percy. You can tell the difference, Ron. You and I were just mad, plus she did all she could to show how sorry she was," Harry answered.

"To you! But she didn't apologize to me about it. She might've not done much, but maybe soon, she'll leave us and possibly join forces with Percy," Ron said. "She was just playing with your mind, anyway. Ginny is smart like that and a brilliant liar. Don't be fooled by her fake apologies."

"Well, she's not Percy! They weren't fake apologies. And she wasn't playing with my mind!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't seem very angered. It was more as if he was trying to get a point across Ron's mind.

"But how do you know?" Ron demanded.

Harry looked at the note still clutched in his hand. "I just know, alright?"

Ginny looked away from the glass of Aperio. She would have jumped for joy the day before, but after her dream, she wished that Harry would still hate her so she could hate him back. What also struck her hard was that Ron compared her to Percy as if she would dishonor the family like he had.

She missed Ron. They were the youngest of the family so they always spent the most time together--usually eating and throwing food at each other and trading chocolate frog cards. Every time they got in a tiff, it would be forgotten about in less than an hour. 

"Why is little girl Wheezy still sad?" Dobby asked.

"Yous should be happy! Harry Potter loves yous!" Winky exclaimed.

"I know, it's just that I can't love him back. I'm trying to fight it," Ginny answered. She was looking at her feet in an expression of sorrow.

"Why?" Dobby and Winky asked in unison. Ginny couldn't explain anything to them without telling them about the dream so she told them what happened in great detail.

"That's a scary nightmare, but Dobby won't let anything bad happen to Harry Potter!" Dobby said.

"Winky thinks that yous should tell Harry Potter about the dream."

"Dobby agrees with Winky on that. Dobby knows that Harry Potter has had many bad dreams, and maybe he will understand."

"But I can't. He won't understand! I can't tell him anything," Ginny answered. "As much as I'd like to keep on talking to you two, I better go. I better go somewhere else to be alone with my thoughts."

"It's been nice seeing you Miss Wheezy," said Dobby.

"Bye and take care! Winky hopes for the best!" Winky added.

"See you two," said Ginny and she left the attic.


	34. Popcorn

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 34

As Ginny walked downstairs, she planned on going to the garden and hide behind some trees where no one would bother her, but something in her mind clicked. Dobby and Winky suggested that she should tell Harry about the dream. She also thought about trying to get through Ron's head that she would never turn her back on her family.

Ginny turned to the living room instead of going to her secret area in the garden, She found Mrs. Weasley reading over a Wizarding home magazine. "Mum, where are Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Where's Dad? Isn't he supposed to have the day off?"

"Your father took them to a matinee for Harry's birthday. I wanted you to come with them, but Ron refused and your Dad was sensing some tension between you and the boys so they just left."

"Without anyone telling me?" Ginny demanded. She was furious whenever she was left behind.

"I insisted that you go, but they didn't have enough time to look for you. Where were you anyway?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I was in the attic. I wasn't really doing anything. Just looking for an old _shoe_," Ginny lied. Instead of wanting to be left alone, she really wished she could have gone to the Cinema. "Do you think you can take me?"

Mrs. Weasley stared at her with nonplused eyes. "Oh, Ginny dear," she said but then glanced down. "Well, maybe I could. I've driven one of those automobiles before."

"Thanks, Mum!" Ginny said and hugged her. "I'll grab my coat--wait, I don't need a coat! It's summer!"

"Bless your heart, dear," said Mrs. Weasley. They took the car that was in the garage that Mr. Weasley had for a few months. It was a black MINI. Mrs. Weasley almost got lost at one point, but they made it to the theater.

Ginny was getting familiar with Muggle currency so she offered to buy the movie tickets. "Uh, hello," she said to the ticket guy working in the box office. _He's cute . . . for a Muggle_, she thought. "Can I have two for--" she said and then turned to Mrs. Weasley. "Mum, what did they go to see?"

"I have no idea, Ginny," she answered.

"You didn't even check?" she asked and Mrs. Weasley shook her head. Ginny looked up at the list of shows playing at the moment. _They're probably seeing Pirates of the Caribbean_, she thought, _Orlando Bloom, here I come! _"How about two for Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"That's been sold out. Everything has been sold out except for Lizzie McGotter and the Parent/Teacher Conference of Doom," he said.

Ginny made a disgusted face. The movie was about a teen girl witch going through teen girl witch problems. Ginny read about how it made a mockery of Wizardry and she refused to ever see it. "No way! I can't believe a movie such as that would ever be produced by you insane Mugg--" she said until Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat rather loudly. "I mean, are you sure Pirates is sold out?"

"Positive, but I could get you in if you go on a date with me. I happen to like redheads," he said with a wink.

Ginny smiled. "Well," she said and looked at his name tag, "William, that would be quite--" she said and then heard Mrs. Weasley clear her throat even louder than before. "On second thought, give me to tickets to the Lazy McGotter movie, the Loser McDumb movie I mean."

"Lizzie McGotter?" he said.

"Yeah," she answered and she received her two tickets and went inside with Mrs. Weasley. 

"You seem to be a little flirtatious nowadays," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'm 15. What do you expect?" Ginny answered, slightly amused. The two went into the certain show room and sat down. 

Ginny looked around and she didn't see Mr. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, or Harry. The movie was dull and dreary and Ginny almost fell asleep. _At least we'll see them afterwards_. Some of the lines in the movie were getting on her nerves:

"I can't find my deck of cards!"

"_Bippity Boppity Blip!_"

"Lizzie, you know you shouldn't skip your Magical Shoe Repair class!"

"There is no Magical Shoe Repair class!" Ginny shouted and then heard some people shushing. 

"Ginny, you need to be quiet! I actually find it quite nice," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Bloody American Muggles," Ginny mumbled. "Mum, I'm going to get something to eat," she said and stood up. Ginny left the room and made her way over to the snack area.

"Hello, may I help you?" asked the worker. He seemed to be around Ginny's age and she thought he was quite charming.

"Hi," she said and smiled. "Well, what would you recommend?"

The guy behind the counter blushed and slightly grinned. "Well, um, popcorn is sort of popular."

"Oh, that sounds nice, and what should I drink?" she asked and batted her eyelashes at the rather dense worker.

"Uh, Coke?" he suggested.

"That sounds good too! I think I found my favorite snack guy!" Ginny said and giggled a giggle that would make Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown proud.

"Ginny?" he asked, and she turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"Harry! Uh, I , well, Mum brought me here. We didn't know what movie you were seeing so I guess we went into the wrong one."

"We're in Pirates of the Caribbean, but it's been running long, and I wanted to walk around for a bit," said Harry. 

Ginny wanted to talk to Harry, but then she looked into his eyes and the same scenes from her dream flashed through her mind again. "I need to go. I'm missing the Lizziemovie," she said and attempted to leave. The main reason Ginny wanted to go to see a film was to talk to Harry, but it was something she couldn't bare at the moment.

"Miss, are you going to get your food?" the worker asked.

"Oh, right," she said and paid the guy. She picked up her popcorn and drink and started to leave again, but this time Harry stopped her.

"Ginny, why are you avoiding me again?" he demanded. "You were really weird this morning. What's going on?"

"I don't know. You really shouldn't be missing your movie too. I heard it was really good!" said Ginny as she tried to sneak away again, but Harry grabbed her arm.

"I don't care about it. I've been needing to talk to you since last night. Let's just talk now," he said. 

Ginny gave in. _I have to face him sometime. It's killing me, but maybe it is wrong to avoid him forever_, she cerebrated. She did what she could to stay focused on what he had to say and not on what happened in her dream. She stayed quiet as she let him speak.

"I know that I've been mean-spirited towards you and I'm sorry for that. I was upset over you snooping on us. Ron made a much bigger deal out of it though," he was saying. "I don't know how to say it, but I," Harry paused. 

Ginny still didn't speak as she was trying to stifle any tears coming from her eyes.

"I have really strong feelings for you," he finished his sentence. Ginny still didn't speak as she held her breath to stop her from crying. "I found this in my _Handbook for Do-It-Yourself Broomcare_," he continued and took out a crinkled piece of paper from his pocket.

"How did you get that?" Ginny demanded as her emotions curved another direction. "I threw that away. That was from my diary. You weren't supposed to see it!"

"I just found it, and I don't know how it got there," said Harry, "but that doesn't matter. I'm just hoping that you didn't throw away your feelings like you threw away this letter."

"I didn't, but I wish I did. I can't see you anymore," Ginny told him flat out and her initial emotions crept on her eyes much worse than before. She couldn't keep her tears in any longer.

"Why? What happened? What's wrong with me?" he demanded. "Just tell me, Ginny!"

"It was this dream I had," she said in-between whimpers. There was no other way to explain, and she didn't want to lie. There was no point. "You were in it, and it felt so real! I don't want it to happen in real life!" Ginny began telling him the details of the dream and ended with the part of him dying.

"It was just a dream. That doesn't mean it would happen," he said merely with a apprehensive expression. 

"It can! I can get in the way! What if you die?" she wept and looked at him with her wet and rosy face. 

"I can die whether you're with me or not!" he exclaimed and then said in a calmer quieter voice, "But if I do die, and I never had you, that would be my biggest regret in life." 

"I have to go," she said and for the final time attempted to leave back to her movie.

"Ginny, wait," Harry said and grabbed her arm again, but pulled her in closer. He went in for a kiss. Ginny dropped her Coke and popcorn and put her arms around his neck. Suddenly, the thoughts of her past dream that were haunting her all day stopped. She was finally kissing the guy she dreamt about her whole life. After a minute, they had stopped and just held on to each other for a much longer time. 

She let go and said, "I think I'll get another order of popcorn and Coke."

"Make that two," Harry added.

"Hey, why didn't I get a kiss?" said the same guy from the ticket booth who began sweeping the floor.

****

A/N: Did you go, "Oh!" lol! And btw, I LOVE Lizzie McGuire so don't think I was just bashing it. I just thought it would be funny to make fun of it.


	35. Guess Who!

****

A/N: Uhhh . . . I was like in a coma or something ;)

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 35

Harry and Ginny returned to their movies after their noteworthy occurrence. Ginny would have rather gone with Harry to see the rest of _Pirates of the Caribbean_, but she didn't want Mrs. Weasley to worry about her. When she found her seat, she saw her dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief as the credits started to roll.

"Mum, what's wrong?" she asked.

Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "Nothing major, dear. It was just a cute movie. She ended up with the boy she liked," she said.

Ginny gave a nervous laugh. "It's over already?"

"Yes, what took you so long to get popcorn?"

"Oh, it was a long line," Ginny lied. Of course she wasn't going to admit the event that recently took place. "Are you ready to go?"

"Don't you want to wait for the others to be finished with their film?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "You can flirt with some more employees," she joked.

"Oh, Mum," Ginny answered. She wasn't going to continue doing _that_ any longer. "I was acting strange because I didn't have anything to eat." She used to flirt with other guys when she tried to get over Harry. Ginny realized she had been doing the same thing that day. Those days were over when she put Harry as number one. Visions from her dream didn't mean much to her since the kiss either.

"Sure, dear," said Mrs. Weasley.

"We should get home early so we can prepare for Harry's birthday dinner," Ginny suggested. Mrs. Weasley gave her a speculative stare. "I mean, just to be nice is all."

"That sounds like a good idea," Mrs. Weasley agreed. "I need to meet with some people anyway."

Mrs. Weasley tried to make conversation about the movie during the ride home, but all Ginny could do was nod her head as she couldn't stop thinking about Harry. The only time she did talk was when she had to tell Mrs. Weasley that she was driving on the wrong side of the road.

The two arrived home and Ginny heard a _Meow! _from the closet. "Lola?" she said as she opened it up while Mrs. Weasley went into the kitchen to locate a cookbook. "What are you doing in the cupboard?" She took Lola and just as she turned around, she saw a rather sour and pale face she hadn't expected to see until her return to Hogwarts. Nonplussed, Ginny stared at him and almost choked.

"Miss Weasley, I assume that you have been taught to be somewhat more courteous to your house guests," he said. Staring back at her was Severus Snape.

Ginny stopped gaping and finally replied, "Professor Snape, what are you doing here?"

"I know how much of a snoop you are, but I'm afraid that I am required to keep that information private. Now if you were more interested in your Potions research than the personal business of others--"

"Severus, you arrived!" greeted Mrs. Weasley as she came in. Ginny only wished that Mrs. Weasley listened to what Snape was actually ridiculing her for. Lola released herself out of Ginny's hands and hissed at Snape as she crawled onto the stairway.

"I'll be upstairs, Mum," said Ginny, and she quickly excused herself from the room. Ginny shivered at the thought of Snape being in her own house. "I hope he leaves before we celebrate Harry's birthday at dinner."

Ginny found tissue paper to wrap Harry's birthday gift in. "I think he'll like it," she said as she polished the broken piece of wood with a cloth. "At least Luna would think it's brilliant." 

Thinking a small joke gift wasn't enough, she also wrote a note to him:

__

Roses are red

Potions is dumb

You should know

You're my only one

Love,

Ginny

It might have been a bit silly and light-hearted, but she meant it. Ginny spello-taped the note inside the wrapping paper and put the gift in as well. She was hoping that Harry wouldn't be too thick to read it aloud, but there had to be some point when they would let everyone know of their relationship.

"When though?" she asked herself. _I'll talk to Harry later_, she thought. Ginny looked at her watch and assumed that he and the rest should have been home by then. _It might be a little hard to avoid the presence of Snape if I go check now_. "But I'll do it for Harry."

Ginny decided to put the gift Harry gave her to good use. She tried the belt on and it fit rather nicely, and then she walked down some flights of stairs and peaked to see if Snape was in the kitchen. He wasn't, but Harry and Ron were. Ginny smiled and made her way down. She hadn't seen Harry in hours, but it felt like years. Her feet began to feel light and she was almost at the bottom until she tripped over the last step.

"HOLY--" she screamed as she fell. Her body landed on the floor, but her face landed on someone's black leather shoes. Ginny looked up and found out they belonged to none other than Snape. Even if they didn't smell like she would have imagined, she began to gag.

"Get up, Weasley," he ordered nastily. "I told you to keep your nose out of the business of others, but that doesn't mean you can put your nose anywhere you would like."

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, it won't happen again--" she replied as she kneeled and brushed off Snape's shoes with her hand. _Wait, I'm not at Hogwarts right now. Why should he tell me what to do?, _she thought to herself as she stood up.

"I'm certain you wouldn't want it to happen again or else--" he began.

"Or else--" Ginny interrupted, but she didn't finish what she wanted to say because she realized that Snape wouldn't forget her rudeness when she returned to Hogwarts for her fifth year. Snape would make the year extra hard for not only her, but also Ron since he's her brother, and Hermione since she's her friend. She didn't even want to think how he would treat Harry if he found out what went on between them. She wanted to tell him to back off, but she ended with, "Or else I'll probably have detention every Hogsmeade weekend."

"Every weekend to be exact, Miss Weasley," he said and then left the room with an even more bitter expression than before.

Ginny looked at Harry and Ron with blank faces. "Every weekend to be exact, Miss Weasley," she mocked in a whisper. "I can't believe he would treat me like that in my own house."

"You better be careful. I always know when you're about to pounce," said Ron. "You better watch out or else he'll make Potions much harder for me for the next two years."

"You always think about yourself, Ron. Isn't that right, Harry?" Ginny said. 

"Uh, right," Harry replied without looking at her. "Oh, I need to get something in your room, Ron." He left without saying anything else.

"Ginny, just stay out of Snape's way for today at least," Ron said with a threatening index finger. He followed Harry upstairs.

"But I was wearing the belt," she said quietly. _Okay so he's ignoring me now, and for some reason Ron thinks I should treat Snape like a king and I have a song from that Lizzie McGotter movie stuck in my head._


	36. Explanation

****

A/N: Happy Halloween! Booga! Booga!

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 36

Ginny went to the back porch and sat. _Ron was with him. I don't think Harry would have wanted to make it obvious that I was his girlfriend now_, she pondered. _It shouldn't last for long, hopefully._

She pulled out a blade of grass, tore it up and sighed. "At least it's not as bad as having the scariest professor in your house," she said out loud. Then she heard the sound of a door shutting. Ginny jumped and gasped when she heard the noise. Snape was always so proficient at walking in at the wrong time. _Maybe he didn't hear me!_

But she turned around and found that it was just Harry. Ginny let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you."

"Who did you think I was? Snape?" Harry asked.

"Right, because having him strolling around your house means paranoia," Ginny answered. 

"Sorry, I didn't really say anything in the kitchen when I was Ron. I didn't want him to think anything was going on between us," Harry explained. 

"Oh, I see," she replied. Ginny was right at why Harry ignored her. It wasn't that she was very fond of Harry wanting to keep the relationship a secret--even though she felt sort of the same way. It occurred to her that they were even starting to share thoughts.

"This won't keep up for long though," he said and sat down next to her. Harry put his hand over hers and she shivered in a more of a warm manner.

"So," she said as she wanted to change the subject. "What did you really think was going on in the attic?" she asked.

"Alright, well, Ron and I thought Fred and George were putting you through a werewolf experiment of some sort," Harry confessed.

Ginny chuckled. "As if! And what were you doing in my bathroom that one day?"

"Ron made me search for clues--that's all," he said. "Okay, that's not all. I pretty much wanted to get caught so I could see you."

Ginny blushed. "Okay, and why did you take me to see those Auralilies that other day?"

"I already told you before. I remembered that you loved them so I had to show them to you before they wilted away. Now I have a question for you," he said, "What were you really spying on us for?"

Ginny was afraid to admit everything of why she wanted to spy on Harry in the first place. "It's a really long and complicated story. I'm sure you're not going to want to hear all of it."

"Hey, I told you everything you asked me. Now tell me. I want to hear," he said. 

"Alright, but you're going to think it's silly," she agreed. Ginny went into detail about her brothers helping her with her 'love life' and then giving her the wrong potion to clear her pimple on her nose which turned into a boil. And the fact that she couldn't face Harry with the boil made her want to see him in the attic, but not let him see her.

Harry burst out laughing when she told him everything. "You're right, I do think it's silly! I wouldn't care if you had boils all over you face!"

"Well, I'm sure you felt pretty stupid when Cho found you covered in all that stinksap last year!"

"I'm sure she didn't notice anyway. As if she's ever noticed a Snitch going by her head," Harry joked.

"No wait, that's Ron!" Ginny said. "Good thing that he's Keeper for Gryffindor, but I'm sure he could get Winky to fill in for him when he's lazy."

"How do you know about Winky?" Harry demanded. "I thought she was keeping her ghoul act."

"Well, she came out and confessed to me when I was in the attic again--but not to spy on you of course. I guess she was feeling sorry. Dobby was there too. It was unbelievable!" Ginny explained.

"Dobby the house-elf? Why? Is he here?" Harry asked.

"He said he was watching out for you, like he always does. I think Winky wanted his help with taking care of the real ghoul," she said. "What was the ghoul's name anyway?"

"Ghouls don't have names. They don't even talk!" Harry said and laughed.

"I should pay more attention to Hagrid then. But when Winky was pretending to be the ghoul, she wanted me to guess her name so she would stop throwing things at me."

"Oh, that's right. That was Ron's idea. Her name was 'Sparkle'. Is that lame or what?" said Harry. Right then they heard the door open and shut again. Harry quickly took his hand away from Ginny's. They both turned their heads and saw the pale and sour face staring down at them.

"What are you two gawking at?" Snape said to them.

Harry grabbed Ginny hand again and said, "Nothing much."


	37. Chapter 37

****

A/N: Oh my gosh! I didn't realize it's been almost a month since I've written! I'm sorry! I really hope most of you haven't abandoned reading this story! It's almost done!

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 37

Snape flinched and then mumbled something as if he was trying to come up with a come-back and then sneered, "You're lucky it's your birthday--or to you a national Wizarding holiday, Potter. But you will soon regret your delight when you start your next Potions terms at Hogwarts."

The fact that Harry grabbed Ginny's hand made her heart melt, but she still gave him a stare that read, _You better give up now Harry or you will regret it later like Snape said._

Harry merely smirked at her, and replied to Snape, "I think I went through enough punishment with Umbridge [last year] to not be able to handle anything you have ready for me."

"_You_ have," Snape said quickly, and then he looked at Ginny, "but you _dearest_ hasn't," He turned around and went back through the doors into the house.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments and then Ginny spoke. "I wonder what he got you for your birthday," she said sarcastically. "And why did you grab my hand in front of him?"

"I don't know. It just happened. But I guess I want to let him know that I've found someone special and he hasn't," Harry replied.

"Oh, you don't know that. I'm sure he's had someone before at least. Maybe he's been getting chummy with Trelawny," Ginny said after her cheeks got rosy.

"That's something I _really_ don't want to think about," said Harry and Ginny giggled. "But it makes you think. Are any of our professors married?"

"I have no idea. I don't think Dumbledore would refuse anyone to get married just because they work at Hogwarts," Ginny replied. "And didn't Hagrid have a girlfriend?"

"Madame Maxime? Yeah, I'm not sure if that worked out," Harry said. 

"I'd really like to find out about Snape, though," Ginny said sympathetically. "I mean, if he has no one in his life, no wonder why he's so grumpy all the time."

"Well, I think there's more to it than that," Harry said vaguely. "And before you go Nancy Drew on me--"

"Nancy Drew?"

"I don't think Snape brought any secret love letters or diaries with him for you to figure out whether he has a girlfriend or wife or not." Harry finished. 

"Don't worry. I'll just forget about it," said Ginny with a smile. "It was just a thought."

"That doesn't mean that if you happen to come across his purse or anything, not to be a little suspicious of it," Harry said and smiled back. 

Ginny laughed at the thought of Snape having a purse. She was about to add to the joke and make-up something about him owning jewelry, but when she turned to look at Harry, his face was much closer to hers and she could barely feel his breath. Ginny blushed and let out an awkward giggle as her heart started beating much faster than before. Her first kiss was earlier that day, but it happened when she didn't expect it so she immediately fell in it. 

Harry noticed that Ginny seemed uncomfortable so he backed off. "Sorry, I just, I--"

"No, Harry, I'm fine, it's--" Ginny said and stopped. She looked at Harry and got in closer this time and closed her eyes. Ginny moved her head even closer, her heart beating faster than ever. As she was about to plant her lips on his, she heard a loud _crack! _Ginny knew who it was right away since even after a year, the twins were still showing off their Apparation skills. And she was right as she opened her eyes and pulled away from Harry as fast as she could.

"Now, what's going on _here_?" Fred asked deviously.

"Practicing CPR," said Harry, dryly.

George raised an eyebrow. "I think it's obvious what was going on here!" he said. 

"Why don't you stop badgering us?" replied an angered yet somewhat relieved Ginny. "We were--well, we were just--" She was trying to come up with a lie, and then looked at a birthday banner that Mrs. Weasley set aside. "We were secretly coming up with ideas for Hermione's surprise birthday party."

"Which doesn't include you two since you are out of Hogwarts, so if you don't mind," said Harry.

"Her birthday is in September," George said. 

"And even if we left Hogwarts, we'll still be able to make special appearances." Fred added. "We wouldn't miss Hermione's birthday party for the Wizarding World!"

"Why? Do you have a crush on her?" Ginny mocked, and the twins looked stunned.

"What? Of course not!" George spat.

"That's ridiculous!" Fred agreed. Ginny was used to the twins teasing her so she learned how to turn the joke around on them. After a few minutes of small talk, Mrs. Weasley called the lot of them inside to wash dishes, but she told Harry to sit aside since it was his birthday, after all.


	38. Another Guest

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 38

"Why do I have to scrub dishes?" Ron demanded, grumpily. "It's my birthday!"

"It's not your birthday. It's Harry's. You don't share the same birthday," Hermione responded with the tone of habit of always having to correct Ron even when he's not entirely serious. The two were standing in front of the sinks in the kitchen which where stacked high with plates, platters, and silverware.

"Well, _yeah_, but we did share the same _History of Magic _textbook last year!" Ron said, putting on an old pair of pink rubber gloves with a signature logo in the inside that signified that they were exclusively from the Gilderoy Lockhart Collection.

"That's because you traded it to Neville Longbottom for a bunch of Buy One Get One Free coupons at the Three Broomsticks," Harry chimed in as he entered the kitchen preceding Ginny and followed by the twins.

"Oy, Harry! Remember when I got you that free butterbeer?" said Ron defensively as he picked up scrub brush in one of the sinks.

"That's because you realized how stupid it was to trade in your book for coupons so you tried to bribe Harry into letting you borrow his," Hermione said with her typical demeanor.

"Yeah, and he fell for it," said Ron with a smirk and Harry rolled his eyes. "Hey, did you just call me stupid?"

"No, Ron, I didn't say that! I just think that you might come up with stupid ideas sometimes!" Hermione exclaimed and seemed as though she was longing to say much more.

"Fair enough," Ron merely responded. Hermione opened her mouth, but then pursed her lips since she couldn't come up with an argument. "You're just mad because you didn't get a free butterbeer."

Hermione opened her mouth again quickly as if she had been deprived of speaking for years. "As a matter of fact, I'm not. I got one cavity last year, and my parents weren't too happy about that."

"Oh, you're not fun anymore--wait you never were," Ron joked and Hermione scoffed and took a whole stack of dirty dishes from her sink and put them in the sink Ron was in charge of for comeback.

Ginny laughed. "Of course Hermione is a lot of fun!" she said, and Ron gave her a brief glance and ignored her comment. The other thing that could have broken her spirit even more would have been if Snape walked in and judged her for not helping.

Harry brought back the old subject. "At least Neville got a new textbook," he said positively. "And I got a free butterbeer!"

"I still have some coupons left. Maybe I can treat you to a gillywater!" Ron said as he gave back Hermione's sink a lot of dirty dishes and Hermione rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Weasley was busying herself in the living room, dusting, but she came in the kitchen and yelled at Ron for not drying off the plates and glasses after he rinsed them.

"But I put them on the drying rack!" Ron said and he looked at Hermione who looked smug since she washed, rinsed, and dried all the dishes in her sink.

"I'm rather tired. I think I'm going to rest for a little bit before tonight festivities," she said and grinned at Ron as Mrs. Weasley gave her a nod of approval. "Thanks for letting me borrow your apron," she said as she took it off and left.

The twins seemed to have mysteriously disappeared when no one noticed so Harry offered to dry Ron's dishes.

"I'll help him. I haven't done anything yet," said Ginny. 

"Alright then, but the china--" said Mrs. Weasley and the door bell rang and she left to answer it, "--be careful!" 

"Yeah," Ron said to Harry and then he glanced at Ginny and then back at Harry, "be _careful_." He left and ascended the staircase to his room.

Ginny frowned as she picked up a towel and a plate. "Will he ever realize that I'm not Percy?"

"I think everything will be fine by tonight," said Harry vaguely.

"What makes you think that? Are you planning something?" Ginny asked with interest. How could Harry know how to change Ron's feelings toward her? And another question was when will Harry be okay with letting people know about his and Ginny's relationship? 

"You'll see," he answered even more vaguely. The excitement about that day was getting tired, and Ginny felt as thought it was a problem that Harry didn't want people to know about them. Maybe he was ashamed of liking her. There was the event with Snape earlier, but maybe that was just to startle him. Maybe Harry was planning on letting everyone know about their relationship later that night, but how did that fit in with whatever he was going to do to convince Ron to trust Ginny again?

Ginny decided to change the subject since she didn't know what else to say. "I know I say this every year, but I wish we could use magic! These dishes would've been done a long time ago!"

"Or else get a couple of _legal _house elves," Harry said and meant that Ron still had Winky without his parents knowing, "but I like this. I mean, I don't like doing it alone. It's just that today has been the best day this summer so doing a couple chores isn't going to bring me down--and not because it's my birthday."

Ginny looked up at him and was about to pick up a bottle of soap to put away. She didn't say anything, but a warm feeling came upon her on the inside.

"I think I talked to you today more than I ever did before," he continued. "And I kissed you, but just the touch of your hand would have made it a perfect day." Harry paused and cleared his throat. 

Ginny was overcome with emotion again, but she didn't feel the need to cry. She wanted to kiss him again, but not while cleaning up. She grabbed the soap bottle and squeezed it quite hard as it was aimed at Harry's head. "Harry, I--OH!" she exclaimed as the stream of soap hit his forehead, and she let go of the bottle.

Harry was startled. "What the--!"

"Harry, I didn't mean to!" she exclaimed and stifled her laughter. 

Harry burst out laughing. "Thanks! I ran out of shampoo!" Ginny let her laughter out as well as Harry slicked his hair back and he reminded her of someone.

"You look like Draco Malfoy!" she pointed out with tears in her eyes from the laughter.

"Oh, really?" he responded and put on the frilly pink apron that Hermione was wearing previously. "Hello, I'm Malfoy!" Harry imitated the drawl, "And I'm a pretty little girl!"

Ginny wiped her eyes and then she gasped. "Um, Harry?" she said and motioned him to turn around. They were both caught by not just Mrs. Weasley, but by the people who were with her. Draco Malfoy was standing right next to her.

"We have another guest," said Mrs. Weasley with a dull expression, but she tried to fake a smile. Harry took the apron off right away and Ginny felt as if she was going to faint.

Snape roamed in and opened a cookie jar and then noticed who was present and said, "Oh, hello." Apparently, Malfoy heard what Harry said because he looked like he wanted to pounce on him. 


	39. What

****

A/N: I know, it's unlikely, but who cares?!! ;)

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 39

"Draco tells me that he was a assigned to do a Potions project with your brother?" Mrs. Weasley said directly at Ginny.

"I don't know anything about that," Ginny replied and caught Malfoy observing her casual outfit with scorn. He was dressed in proper Wizard robes.

Snape put the lid back on the cookie jar and confirmed the assignment. "Yes, I did choose both of them to work together on it. Narcissa contacted me last week since she's going to be away for reasons she wouldn't disclose and asked if Draco could be left under my care. I thought it would be perfect for him to be here so he could start the project."

Ginny and Harry both dropped their jaws. And evil smirk came upon Malfoy's face. The doorbell rang again and Mrs. Weasley left to go get it. There was an awkward moment of silence until Ginny heard a scream from upstairs and knew it came from her room.

"That's Hermione!" she said and looked at Harry.

"What's going on?" he said, and then they heard the scream again.

"Oh, sounds like she's dying," Malfoy snickered. Ginny ran up to her room and was closely followed by Harry. She opened the door to find Hermione scolding the twins who were on the floor laughing. They were both holding the alien masks they used to scare her earlier.

"That's really not funny! Especially when I'm almost falling asleep!" Hermione exclaimed. "You two! You both need to get over thinking that you can frighten me with that alien rubbish!"

"But we did frighten you," said Fred.

"Just admit it, 'Mione, and we'll never bother you again," George proposed, his stomach on the floor.

"Admit what?" Hermione demanded.

"That you believe that the aliens are out to get you!" Fred answered, putting his mask back on.

"Ginny, can't you talk some sense into your brothers?" she asked her with a face red out of anger.

"We have a much bigger problem then this, Hermione," Ginny responded and swallowed.

"Yeah, a much bigger problem," Harry repeated directly to the twins. "I think we should get Ron first."

"Oh, we'll tell him!" the twins exclaimed in unison and then simultaneously dissaparated out of the room and apparated back about a minute later. 

"He's coming," said George. "It took us awhile to convince him to come down here."

"Yeah, he was playing with some famous Quidditch player figurines," Fred added and then rolled his eyes.

"Now, what do you want me for?" Ron asked cantankerously as he was opening the door. "What's so important? I was busy."

Ginny and Harry looked at each other nervously. "You can tell them," Ginny said softly. 

Harry started to explain and when Ron heard the name 'Malfoy', he yelled, "WHAT?!"

The twins started to yell obscenities and Hermione looked as if she was going to be sick.

"Why is he here? How did he get here?" Ron demanded. "He's not coming in _my_ room!"

"Snape invited him over!" said Ginny.

"I thought Snape was supposed to be helping you!" Ron said to Harry. "Not bring you down!"

"Snape _is _helping Harry. I'm sure he came here for Order business," Hermione said seriously, "but he still has to be on the Death Eaters' good side."

"So, what next? Is he going to throw a surprise party for You-Know-Who?!" Ron exclaimed.

"It's not like we have been forced to go into the Malfoy Mansion that he always talks about," Hermione brought up. "That would be a lot worse than this."

"This could actually be quite fun," Fred responded and rubbed his palms together.

"I think I know what you mean," George said. "There a bunch of _us_, and one of _him_. No, two of him, or _them_."

"Snape can't be hanging around the whole time if they're planning an Order meeting," Fred said with a devious smile.

"Oh, please say you aren't going to do something stupid," Hermione said digging her face into her palms.

Fred and George exchanged smirks and said, "And we're off!" The two disappeared.

"Um, Harry, you didn't say why Malfoy is here," Ginny pointed out.

"Oh, right," Harry agreed, "Ron, do you remember when Snape requested a group of people to do a project over the summer and you volunteered Malfoy and then Snape agreed but added you to the group too?"

"Somewhat," Ron answered slowly and seemed as if he was trying hard to remember. He slapped his forehead and said, "Oh no! I forgot about that! Didn't he add you too?"

"No, you volunteered Hermione and I after that and Snape said no so we wouldn't be teaming up against Malfoy," Harry said.

"I thought someone else was going to work on the project as well! Who was it?" Hermione mentioned. 

"Yeah, who was it?" Ron asked, trying hard to think. "I think he was a Gryffindor."

"I don't remember. I hope it was a Gryffindor. We don't want anymore Slytherins coming around these parts," said Harry. "And it's not Neville because he already got detention after Trevor leapt onto Snape's head."

"I hope it was Parvati. She owes me a couple knuts," Hermione said casually. Ginny was secretly hoping it was Parvati as well. The only other Gryffindor fifth years were Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Ginny wasn't ready to face Dean yet with what went on that summer with Harry. Ginny hadn't thought about Dean for a long time until then.

"Never mind about that, it's kind of strange how Malfoy is here," said Harry. "His mother asked Snape to watch him while she went away, but she didn't say where."

"She clearly went to Azkaban to visit Mr. Malfoy," said Hermione. "Where else?"

"But why should Malfoy be allowed to come here? And Harry's here! Malfoy is evil! Like Father, like son!" Ron exclaimed with sudden anger again.

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen. "There are some people to see you!"

Ron let out a deep and long breath and headed for the door. "Please don't let me do this alone." Harry, Hermione, and Ginny agreed to come downstairs with him.


	40. Scarlet Woman

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Recap: I left off a month ago, but just so you remember, Draco visited the Burrow to do a Potions project, and now Ron has to come downstairs to face him. 

****

Chapter 40

Ginny was the last to walk into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley mentioned that there were some people to see Ron, not just _one_ person, but _some_. Who else would be there other than Malfoy or Snape? 

__

I better get this over with, she thought. _I just really hope it's not him. Please don't be him!_

But it was him. He was sitting at the table, hesitantly picking up a cookie that Mrs. Weasley offered him, and he was probably intimidated by Malfoy and Snape, but his eyes brightened when he saw his fellow Gryffindors. Ron was also very glad to see him which almost made up for Malfoy being there as well.

"Dean!" Ron exclaimed purposely ignoring Malfoy, "How are you?"

"Hey, Ron! I'm great! I'm so glad to see you; all of you!" Dean answered right after he jumped out his seat to greet them. While he was hugging Hermione, he spotted Ginny and smiled at her. Ginny gave him a weak grin and brief wave.

"Have a go on the brooms, Dean? I'm trying a new trick," Harry suggested. 

"I'm teaching him the new trick," Ron said smugly. "The day is good--"

"Your professor reminded me for you boys to keep busy on that project so there won't be any Quidditch today!" Mrs. Weasley cut in. 

"But Mum, it's--" Ron started, but got cut off again.

"It's NOT your birthday, Ron! It's Harry's!" Mrs. Weasley reminded him. "Now, you three," she said politely to Harry, Hermione, and Ginny.

"Please, Mrs. Weasley, let me help them with their project," said Hermione. She was probably jealous that they had extra school work to do and she didn't. Malfoy hadn't said a word because Mrs. Weasley was in the room, but Ginny knew what he was thinking by the look of his face. He wanted staple Hermione's lips shut, tie her arms behind her back, and leave her on a train track.

"Oh, sure, Hermione, if you want to," Mrs. Weasley approved. Hermione looked at Ginny and smirked. Ginny figured that there were other reasons for Hermione to volunteer to help, but she wasn't sure what so she gave her a blank expression.

Hermione came closer to her and spoke quietly through gritted teeth, "I think someone has to tell somebody about somebody." She then eyed Harry and shifted them onto Dean.

"Oh," was all what Ginny managed to say, but she knew what Hermione meant. Harry already knew about Dean so it wouldn't have had to be a problem. But what if he forgot? She didn't even decide what to do about Dean. What would she have to tell him later?

"Ginny and Harry," said Mrs. Weasley as she tried to come up with undone tasks but she brushed them off. "I guess there is nothing else for you to do. You can go out on the brooms if you like, but be back soon. We are going to eat out in the garden in about an hour," she turned to Harry, "Please don't let her fall."

Ginny rolled her eyes and she left the room with Harry. "I think we should keep things private until school starts again," she said abruptly when they entered the back stoop.

"Oh, is there a reason? I was thinking tonight would be all right--"

"Not with Dean here!" she fizzed. Harry seemed uncomfortable. "I'm sorry; I'm really tense about this."

"It's fine. You can work it out with Dean later," Harry simply stated.

"Just me? We both have to tell him," said Ginny. 

"No, I don't have to be involved. You're the one two-timing us," Harry replied unworriedly with a smirk. He seemed amused by it.

"You are just about involved in this as I am! You're going out with your friend's girlfriend, you pig!" Ginny asserted.

"And you're two-timing me, you scarlet woman!" Harry answered teasingly. Mrs. Weasley had obviously rubbed off on him to use such a term as "scarlet woman".

"Fine! I'll go tell Dean that we're going out in front of everyone!" Ginny said and started counting names off her fingers, "Hermione, Ron, Malfoy--"

"No-no-no-no!" said Harry as he stopped her from entering the house again. Ginny knew she wasn't going to do it, but it did make Harry take things a bit more seriously. "Let's just wait until school starts and we can figure out a way to tell him until then."

"That's what I was thinking. We have about a month. For now, I guess I'll just have to pretend to Dean that everything is normal."

"So what have you gotten for my birthday?" Harry asked coolly.

"You'll see," Ginny answered. The tables were already set up and Harry and Ginny waited on the porch until sunset when everyone came out.


	41. Party

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 41

When everyone settled themselves outside at the tables, Mr. Weasley charmed a violin to play a whimsical tune and everyone dug into the feast. Draco was sitting next to Hermione and Snape, and was tentative to eat food from the Weasleys, but after a few minutes hunger took over his pride and he began to feast in as well. 

Ginny was in between Dean and Hermione. Dean was telling everyone about his holiday in the mountains. Ginny noticed that Dean didn't seem to be paying attention to her, and as rude as it was, she was thankful for it as well. 

"Sweet sixteen, Harry!" said Fred and George, together. They placed a shiny, pink, cone-shaped, Birthday cap on his head. Fireworks exploded at the tip of the hat and everyone laughed, except for Mrs. Weasley who gave Harry his birthday present early--which was sea green knitted vest with a flower embroidered on it that he was practically forced to wear that night.

Ginny thought the atmosphere was pleasant even though Snape and Draco were there. Though, she couldn't help but wish she could be alone with Harry. They never had much one-on-one time to talk, and now since their barriers were pretty much cleared, conversation would have been easier. 

"Dean, did you go swimming in mountain streams?" Ginny asked him politely. She had to talk to him or else people might get suspicious. Not like anyone would suspect Ginny and Harry were dating just because she and Dean weren't making much communication, but she thought talking to him would look normal.

"What?" Dean asked with a puzzled expression. He was clearly listening to a joke Fred was telling instead paying attention to his girlfriend. 

"Never mind," she said. How discourteous it was for him to ignore his girlfriend! But it was better that way, anyway. Their relationship could just fade away, and then Harry and Ginny could make themselves public.

The time came for Harry to open the rest of his presents. Draco didn't bring anything, but it was mostly because he didn't know it was Harry's birthday. If he did know, then he would have made sure to bring a box of something when opened, it would be something Harry wouldn't have expected. Snape knew too well it was Harry's birthday, but unlike Draco, he just didn't care. Fred and George gave him an bag of goodies from their shop and some coupons. 

Harry liked Ginny's present very much. He laughed and winked at her when he opened it. No one really understood why she gave him a piece of wood on a string, but Mrs. Weasley gave the courteous, "Oh, how lovely!"

Towards the end of the festivities when they were running short of sweets and butterbeer, as well as conversation, Mr. Weasley asked Ron how he and his mates were going on the potions project. Snape was just as interested. Draco faked a stomach-ache to avoid fetching any of the materials that were used. But Dean got the cauldron, and Ron got the ingredients and vials. 

As they were preparing for their mock presentation, Harry pulled Ginny aside to a nearby tree. Ginny could see that an Auralily was growing in an unusual bush, but it made her smile.

"Thanks for the gift," he said. "I thought Madame Hooch got rid of all of it. She didn't let me keep any of the remains because she thought I would have hope in fixing it myself."

"I thought you might like it, for memories," Ginny answered. She couldn't help but keep glancing at the single Auralily. It looked even more striking in the moonlight as the gold shined against the blue of the night. Harry caught her looking at it, and he suddenly clued in.

"Today's the last day of them, huh. If only they would last," he said as he picked it off the bush and handed it to Ginny.

Ginny looked at the blossom he just gave her and beamed. "Looking at one is almost as wonderful as seeing it for the first time. But they don't hang around forever."

"What if this one is different? What if it never withers and dies?" Harry asked.

"It would be impossible. I wish though," she answered and her eyes felt a little glossed over.

Harry took Ginny's hand that was holding the flower. Even if it didn't last, the single Auralily was a lot more romantic than receiving a single rose every day for the next five years. 

"Close your eyes," he said with his hand still over hers. Ginny did as he said. She knew it might have been some surprise, but she didn't know what, and she did assume Harry wouldn't play a mean trick or harm her. "Now open."

She opened her eyes and was holding a wand that didn't belong to her. She laughed and said, "Harry, what's going on? Why do I have your wand?"

"You'll see, now close your eyes again," he said with a smirk. 

"Okay, but I hope not to expect a deck of cards," she said and followed his order. She didn't notice the flower to wand change and she didn't notice what was to follow.

"Now open again," he repeated. Ginny did so and saw the same Auralily that was there before.

"Okay, what was the point of that?" she said with a small laugh, but she gave a second glance at the blossom and it appeared to look somewhat different but even more stunning than ever. "Oh, Harry, what--"

"It's been preserved," he said and if the tone in his voice didn't do the justice of showing how much he cared for her, the arresting look in his eyes did. "It took me a long time to figure it out--with the help of _some_ people."

__

Some people most likely meaning Hermione and not Ron. Ginny didn't dare ask him how he did it. She loved mystery. Ginny couldn't really speak anyway. "Harry, I--well, thank you!" She flung her arms around him and pressed her face against his.

"Just never say anything is impossible," he replied softly.


	42. FINAL CHAPTER

****

Disclaimer: None of the terms or characters that appear in any literature authored by J.K. Rowling belongs to me. They rightfully belong to J.K. Rowling. Any other allusions mentioned on this page do not belong to me either.

****

Chapter 42--LAST CHAPTER

Ginny and Harry realized that Ron, Dean, and Draco were almost finished with their project presentation, so they went back to the tables to find Mr. Weasley clapping and Snape looking grim as usual.

"Genius! That's year seven level work! I couldn't have done a better job at your age!" Mr. Weasley praised. "Severus, didn't you think it was brilliant?"

"Decent job on your painted macaroni diagram, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape. "Though you will be graded at the start of term when you present it to your class."

The three glowered, though Draco looked pleased with the compliment.

"Severus, don't you think you should give them an initial grade so they will know whether to improve their project or not--even though I don't think it needs any improvement," Mr. Weasley suggested.

"Fine, I will just jot some notes down," Snape said irately. Mr. Weasley handed him some leftover wrapping paper and a bent quill. Snape took it and was about to write on it when he paused and stared at it for a few seconds. 

Ginny noticed that Snape was observing the paper from the gift she gave to Harry, and then she remembered the note. The silly poem Ginny wrote for Harry and slipped in his gift. Harry must have not noticed it.

"Well, what is _this_?" Snape asked with interest. Ginny was a brave girl and would have told him to give it back, but she was in shock and words couldn't escape her mouth.

"What are you talking about, Severus?" Mr. Weasley asked with a different tone of interest. 

Ginny knew Snape was going to read it aloud. _Stop him! Stop him, now!_, she thought. "It's mine! Give it back!" she yelled. _No, I shouldn't have told him that!_

"Oh, it seems as if it came from you, but you addressed to some one else. Who then?" Snape answered coolly. Ginny came closer and tried to snatch it but he held it high so she couldn't get to it. She gave him a glare that read, _You know who, now please just let go._

"Severus, if it belongs to my daughter then--" Mr. Weasley started, but got cut off.

"_Roses are red, potions are dumb_--I didn't know you felt that way, Miss Weasley," Snape began to recite.

"I wrote it for my cat Lola!" Ginny tried to convince him but Snape just laugh. Draco smirked and wanted to hear more. The rest looked confused.

"Oh, so I should believe that you like to express your feelings toward your pet by writing poems?" Snape asked rhetorically, and continued the poem, "_You should know, you're my only one, love Ginny_."

Mr. Weasley wanted to know as much of the rest of them what the meaning of the poem was, but his daughter's feelings came first. "Severus, if you are going to act that way towards MY family in MY house, then I am going to ask you to leave--NO! Order you to leave! All you've shown since you arrived has been displeasure!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed. "Now go!"

Snape shrugged and tried to hide any guilt he may have had. "Very well, then," he said. "I will have to take Mr. Malfoy as his mother trusted me to care for him." He departed from the scene, and Ginny was sure she wouldn't have to see his sour face until the start of term. The fact that Draco was leaving was the icing on the cake.

"If you would excuse me, I need to get some rest," said Mr. Weasley, still shaken with fury. He went into the house and left Ginny alone with Harry, Ron, and Dean.

Though things got better with Snape and Draco Malfoy leaving, she was sure she embarrassed Harry, and worse was that, Dean and Ron would find out about them.

"What was that all about, Gin?" Dean asked. "You did write it for your cat, didn't you? I know you really like furry things."

Ginny didn't answer. She looked at Harry who obviously knew who the note was for. He looked awkward and embarrassed and didn't know what to say either.

Ron's mind suddenly clicked. "It wasn't for Lola! Ginny, you're not five! It was, it was for Harry! He wouldn't love a traitor! Would you, Harry?"

Harry put brushed his hand over the back of his head. "Well, let's see, I--"

"But Ginny is _my_ girlfriend!" Dean asserted. "You don't have to write stupid poems to get me to say, 'I love you' back, Ginny."

Harry seemed angered by that statement. "It wasn't a stupid poem, and she didn't write for you!"

"Harry, what are you saying?" Ron demanded heatedly. "Are you taking her seriously?"

"Who was the poem for, Ginny?" Dean demanded with more significance in his voice. 

"It was," Ginny answered, looking at her feet, "for Harry."

The expression on Ron's face read, _I knew it, _but he seemed very aggravated. Dean's jaw dropped and started to pull off a red woven bracelet from his wrist.

"Then what's this about, Ginny?" he said as he pulled it off. Ginny made it for him when they started going out. She also made one for Michael Corner when she started to see him.

"A friendship bracelet," she said matter-of-factly. 

"I don't know what your problem is, Ginny, but you're wasting your time," said Ron.

"She didn't waste her time, it was a good poem!" said Harry. "Ginny, I love you too!"

Dean was shocked by that comment as well, but not half as much then before. He didn't seem as angry as Ron did.

"Harry, you can't love her! Do you remember what she did? She tricked us! She spied on us! She's a disgrace to the name Weasley!" Ron exclaimed with much rage. 

"Ron, I'm not!" said Ginny with a choke.

"Shut-up, Ginny! You have no excuse for what you did!" said Ron.

"Ron, listen to her! You haven't listened to anyone but yourself! How can you assume something if you don't know the facts or explanation?" said Harry. "She's not Percy! I know she would never turn her back on the family! Now get over yourself!"

"But she betrayed you. She betrayed me," Ron said weakly, almost giving in.

"Ron, I didn't mean any harm. I never meant to turn anything against you or screw you over. Plus you would have done the same thing if you were in my situation. If you had an ugly pimple on your nose, and Hermione came over, and the only way you could see her without embarrassing yourself was to spy on her," Ginny reasoned, pulling herself together as Ron went pink when she mentioned Hermione. "Now, as Harry said, I'm not Percy. I love my family and you're my brother. I wouldn't betray you for all the gold at Gringotts." It almost seemed like an hour before she could get a reply back from Ron.

"You're right," Ron said so quietly, almost like a whisper. "I overreacted the whole time. I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm sorry, Harry. Sorry, too Dean."

"It's cool. I guess I can understand. You're all good friends," said Dean, not as bitterly as before, and he put emphasis on the word 'friends'.

Ginny smiled. If Hermione had been there, she'd be in tears. 

Ron smiled as well, and obviously trying not let the subject of Hermione come up, he asked, "Now, when did all this happen?"

"Oh, it's a long story," said Ginny. She then heard her mother call from a window.

"You children are being too loud! It's late, and you have a lot of packing to do tomorrow!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. Ginny would be leaving the next night with Ron and Harry to go with Hermione and visit her house in Muggle London. 

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," she said to Harry, and kissed him on the cheek, yet near his lips. She then turned to Dean and said the same, but no kiss. And she was going to repeat it to Ron, but she gave him a big hug. "I'm so glad to have my brother back."

Ginny went to her room, and found Hermione sprawled there on her bed with her mouth open and drooling slightly. Ginny laughed and decided to tell her everything tomorrow. She then remembered the Auralily that Harry preserved for her and thought she misplaced until she checked her back pocket. _I'm so glad I didn't sit anywhere! _She took it and placed it in a special box in her top drawer. _I'll look at it again on my birthday. _She didn't want to spoil the magic.

Ginny yawned and was about to go to sleep--though on the floor since Hermione stole her bed again, but she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and was so glad to see for at least one final time that night. "Hi, what's up--" she began to say but Harry didn't let her finish when he grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply on the lips.

"My birthday didn't seem complete, but now I'm satisfied," he said when he pulled away slowly. "See you in the morning."

"Don't leave!" she said. Ginny wanted to say something romantic that told him that she longed till that moment to see him again as if it came from Shakespeare or something, but all she could say was, "Thanks!"

"Your poem; I feel the same way. I mean potions are dumb," Harry said with a grin. 

Ginny smiled slightly, still embarrassed by what she wrote. "Yeah, I know."

"But even more so, I love you," he said for the second time. 

__

How do you compete with that? Ginny wanted to say, _'I love you more!' _but that seemed annoying and childish. Still embraced in his arms, she went with, "I love you, too, and that's an understatement."

Harry kissed her again, but softly. "It's past midnight. The Auralillies would have gone away by now."

"Yeah, so?" Ginny asked quietly. She would whip out the one she had in her drawer just for him.

"Well, I feel like I'm cheating, just holding you right now."

**__**

The End.

A/N: Stay tuned for new stories and a possible sequel--told in Hermione's point of view when they go to her Muggle neighborhood!


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